Novak Djokovic is out of the Shanghai Masters after losing in straight sets to Hubert Hurkacz in his opening match. The 39-year-old had won the China Open in Beijing only days earlier. “A very early exit here, but it is OK,” he said.
Novak Djokovic has been knocked out of the Shanghai Masters after a second-round defeat to Hubert Hurkacz, ESPN reported.
The Result
- Score: 6-4, 6-3 to Hurkacz
- Duration: 87 minutes
- Date: Friday, October 9
From Champion to Early Exit
The defeat came days after Djokovic, 39, won the final of the China Open in Beijing.
The 24-time major champion was playing his first match in Shanghai.
“Beijing was great, and a very early exit here, but it is OK,” Djokovic said. “I had a great week in Beijing, and I look forward to resting a little bit and get ready for the indoors.”
The Serve Was the Difference
Djokovic pointed to Hurkacz’s serve.
“If you lose your serve, it is enough to lose the match, once per set, and that is what happened,” he said.
“It is very difficult to return his serve, almost impossible. So yeah, I did not adjust and it was a really tough draw for me playing him in the first match.”
Hurkacz: ‘A Special Night’
Hurkacz knows the tournament well. He was champion in Shanghai in 2023.
“It’s a special night,” he said. “He just won Beijing, so it’s very difficult to play against him, but it’s a pleasure for me to share a court with him and play such a legend of the sport.”
What Comes Next for Djokovic
Djokovic said he would rest before the indoor part of the season, which closes out the tennis year.
Earlier in the week, ESPN reported that he planned to contact Jannik Sinner about the Italian’s return from a long lay-off.
Image: Novak Djokovic at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (file photo). Photo by Andymiah via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
