Novak Djokovic confessed he was simply “trying to stay alive” as he persevered through tough conditions to secure his place in the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters.
With a win over Zizou Bergs, 6-3, 7-5, the 38-year-old Djokovic not only celebrated the victory but also achieved an outstanding milestone as the oldest player to reach the final four of a Masters 1000 event—marking his 80th appearance overall.
The Serbian ace, who faced injury issues in his previous match, even experienced vomiting during his third-round clash against Yannick Hanfmann as he struggled with the extreme heat.
Daytime temperatures soared to 95°F, with humidity levels hovering around 80% on China’s eastern coast.
When asked about the effort it took to reach the semi-finals, Djokovic remarked: “Pretty much everything.”
“These conditions have been challenging for all players this week. I’m truly happy to have overcome this hurdle.”
Djokovic, vying for his fifth title in Shanghai, quickly settled into rhythm against Bergs.
After a strong first set, the 24-time Grand Slam champion seemed on track for an effortless progression to the semi-finals; however, Bergs managed to break Djokovic’s serve as he attempted to wrap up the match.
Nonetheless, Bergs had to reckon with the fallout of his aggressive strategy, accumulating 23 unforced errors, while Djokovic recorded only eight.
“I should have finished it off at 5-4, but I was a little too passive,” Djokovic reflected.
“He plays a powerful game. My game plan at times was just to get another ball in play and wait for him to make a mistake.”
In the semi-finals, Djokovic will take on Valentin Vacherot.
The 26-year-old qualifier, Vacherot, pulled off a stunning upset by defeating his highest-ranked opponent to date, 10th seed Holger Rune, with a score of 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, as Rune battled cramps late in the contest.
This win secures Vacherot a spot in the top 100 rankings for the first time in his career.
Swiatek and Sabalenka advance at Wuhan Open
Aryna Sabalenka has achieved an impressive 19 consecutive victories at the Wuhan Open.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka secured her position in the quarter-finals of the Wuhan Open with a commanding 6-3, 6-2 win over 16th seed Liudmila Samsonova.
As the three-time defending champion in Wuhan, having triumphed in 2018, 2019, and 2024 after a three-year hiatus, Sabalenka lost only ten points on her serve, marking her 19th straight victory in this tournament.
Elena Rybakina, ranked ninth in the world, also advanced to the quarter-finals following a 6-3, 6-4 win over Linda Noskova.
Meanwhile, world number two Iga Swiatek faced a tougher match, narrowly defeating Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic with a score of 7-6 (7-2), 6-4.
Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam champion, is set to meet Jasmine Paolini in the quarter-finals after Paolini’s last-16 opponent, Clara Tauson, had to retire during their match.
Tauson won the first set 6-3 but lost the second set 6-1 while coping with an ankle injury.
The tenth seed retired midway through the third set while trailing 3-1.
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