Novak Djokovic’s Shanghai Masters draw has opened up incredibly nicely for the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
Djokovic defeated Marin Cilic in Shanghai to begin his campaign at the tournament he’s won on four occasions.
The star is playing his first tournament since exiting the semi-finals of the US Open, following a defeat by Jannik Sinner.
Djokovic is looking to win his first ATP 1000 event of 2025, and he couldn’t have a kinder draw in Shanghai.
Alexander Zverev and Frances Tiafoe’s exits help Novak Djokovic in Shanghai
Djokovic was placed in a draw with the likes of Andrey Rublev and Flavio Cobolli, but those players have already fallen by the wayside.
Rublev lost his fourth straight match to Yoshihito Nishioka, while Cobolli was toppled by Jaume Munar in straight sets.
The Serbian can now reach the semi-finals without playing a single player ranked in the top 20 at the Shanghai Masters.
Djokovic will play qualifier Yannick Hanfmann in the third round, with the winner playing either Munar or Nishioka.
A quarter-final against seeded players Gabriel Diallo or Francisco Cerúndolo is likely for the Serbian, but neither player is ranked in the top 20.
Diallo is World No. 35, while Cerundolo is currently ranked World No. 21 in the ATP Tour rankings.
Novak Djokovic’s record at ATP 1000 events in 2025
Djokovic has saved his best performances for Grand Slams in 2025, but he’s been far from vintage at ATP 1000 events.
The Serbian was beaten by Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round of Indian Wells, and he suffered the same fate to Alejandro Tabilo in Monte Carlo.
The star also lost in the second round to Matteo Arnaldi in Madrid and his only wins at an ATP 1000 in 2025 came at the Miami Open.
Djokovic reached the final in Miami, defeating Lorenzo Musetti, Sebastian Korda, and Grigor Dimitrov, before losing to Jakub Mensik in the final.
