Novak Djokovic faced challenging conditions as he progressed through the Shanghai Masters, showing both his vulnerability and legendary resilience on the courts in China. The Serbian star’s recent performances have been marked by physical difficulties amid the tournament’s demanding environment.
What Happened to Novak Djokovic at the Shanghai Masters?
The 38-year-old entered his fourth-round clash against Spain’s Jaume Munar carrying the weight of previous physical battles at the Shanghai Masters. Djokovic’s path to this encounter had been far from smooth, having struggled significantly in his earlier match against German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann.
Against Munar, Djokovic’s physical struggles continued to surface. Early in their encounter, he required a medical timeout after pointing to his ankle area. The Serb was seen grimacing and clutching his Achilles as the trainer provided treatment at 3-1 in the first set. His hamstring was already strapped coming into the match, but he specifically indicated pain in the back of his ankle during the medical break.
Djokovic was also seen vomiting during the match due to the sickness caused by the humid conditions.
After losing the second set 7-5, the World No. 5 called for the physio again and was seen lying on the court due to the demanding conditions. The medical team checked his vitals to determine whether he could continue or not, but the Serbian legend showed resilience and got up for the decider.
Physio back out for Novak Djokovic. He was laying down on the floor after losing second set 5-7 vs Jaume Munar.
They’re checking his vitals now.
Munar to serve first in the 3d set. pic.twitter.com/uksz8zqDqc
— edgeAI (@edgeAIapp) October 7, 2025
Djokovic shocked the crowd by breaking Munar twice in the third set, despite his physical struggles. Match statistics show that he won 80% of the first serve points and 83% of second serve points, without facing a single break point. Munar saved a match point at 15-40 in the eighth game, but Djokovic emerged victorious in the very next serve, securing his spot in the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 win.
The match between Djokovic and Munar represented only their second career meeting, with their previous encounter taking place seven years ago at the 2018 French Open, where Djokovic won in straight sets. Munar entered this contest having reached his first fourth round at the venue, defeating players like Marton Fucsovics, Flavio Cobolli, and Yoshihito Nishioka to get there.
Djokovic’s Physical Struggles at Shanghai Masters
In that previous contest, Djokovic demonstrated exactly why he remains one of tennis’s greats. After losing the first set 4-6 to Hanfmann, the 24-time Grand Slam champion appeared to struggle with the brutal Shanghai conditions, with the humidity levels reaching over 80% proved particularly challenging for the veteran player.
During the second set, Djokovic was visibly affected by the conditions, even vomiting on court during a changeover. Despite these physical setbacks, he managed to turn the match around, winning 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in what became his second-longest three-set match of 2025.
The match against Hanfmann marked Djokovic’s 52nd career victory after losing the opening set at the Masters 1000 level, an absolute record in tour history. His recent form coming into Shanghai showed a mixed record, having suffered a semifinal exit at the US Open.
Djokovic is now set to face Belgian Zizou Bergs in the quarterfinals. Bergs had reached his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal by defeating Gabriel Diallo in a thrilling three-set encounter
