American tennis veteran John Isner has linked Novak Djokovic’s decision to participate in the Shanghai Masters to the Serb’s plans for the 2026 tennis season. Isner made this observation on the ‘Nothing Major’ podcast, which also features his fellow American tennis stars Sam Querrey, Steve Johnson, and Jack Sock.
Why Is Novak Djokovic Playing in Shanghai? John Isner Explains
Isner shed light on Djokovic’s decision to compete at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, a move that surprised some fans given the Serbian’s selective schedule this season.
“I think he is playing this because, you know, he’s obviously taken a lot of time off this year,” Isner said. “He clearly wants to play next year. He wouldn’t if he wasn’t planning on, like, playing the similar schedule he played this year, he would not be playing Shanghai.”
For Isner, the decision makes perfect sense from a physical standpoint. “Too much time off for him would be a detriment to him,” he explained. “As you get older, as you guys well know, at least that’s my experience, if you take big chunks of time off, the harder it is for me to recover. You need to at least try to play a little bit.”
Shanghai, long considered one of the most prestigious events on the ATP calendar, has traditionally drawn tennis’s biggest names. “Shanghai’s always attracted the top players — Fed(erer) always played it,” Isner noted. “Maybe it had something to do with Rolex (his sponsor) or something. Djokovic is out there playing. He’s had a lot of success in Shanghai, of course.”
Isner believes Djokovic’s appearance is as much about staying sharp as it is about competing for another title. “So I think this is his way of staying engaged with the tour,” he said. “It will be interesting to see what he does after Shanghai. Last year, he decided not to play Turin. Did not play Paris either.”
Reflecting on Djokovic’s recent scheduling unpredictability, Isner added, “I think I said last year that we would see him in Turin and we didn’t. But, we’ll see. If this is his last tournament of the year, then, like, okay, he wants to end on somewhat of a high note with some good matches and he’ll get ready and prepare for the Aussie Open.”
Isner added, “I think this is him just sort of staying physically engaged and mentally engaged to the game.”
How Djokovic Fared in His First Match in Shanghai
Djokovic overcame his veteran adversary Marin Čilić 7-6(2), 6-4 to launch his bid for a record-extending fifth title at the tournament. Battling humid conditions, Djokovic resorted to an old-school tactic, sprinkling sawdust on his hands, reminiscent of the methods once used by Ivan Lendl. It proved a masterstroke, helping him maintain his grip through some slippery moments.
Čilić, the 2014 US Open champion, came out firing, hammering 20 winners in the opening set and putting the Serb under sustained pressure. However, the Croat’s momentum faltered after he appeared to tweak his back early in the second set, allowing Djokovic to seize control and close out the contest in just under two hours.
The Serb will next play Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann for a spot in the Round of 16.
