(In Pictures) Novak Djokovic Suffers New Injury in the Semifinals of a Troublesome Shanghai Masters Campaign

Valentin Vacherot becomes the lowest-ranked player in over four decades to reach the final of an ATP 1000 tournament after beating Novak Djokovic.

(In Pictures) Novak Djokovic Suffers New Injury in the Semifinals of a Troublesome Shanghai Masters Campaign

Novak Djokovic (via X/Jose Morgado)

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Novak Djokovic struggled with physical challenges during his semi-final match against Valentin Vacherot at the Rolex Shanghai Masters. Djokovic eventually lost the match against the World No. 204 under the sweltering humid conditions at the tournament. It was Djokovic’s first loss since the US Open semi-finals in September.

After defeating former US Open champion Marin Cilic in the second round of the Shanghai Masters without signs of difficulty, Djokovic began to face tough hurdles. In the third round against Yannick Hanfmann, the Serbian legend overcame the humidity and appeared to vomit during the two hours and 42 minutes.

During his round of 16 clash against Jaume Munar, Djokovic received multiple medical timeouts for a leg issue in the course the two hours and 40 minutes win. In fact, he frequently used an ice towel and threw up multiple times, lying on the court for a few seconds after losing the second set to the Spaniard.

The 38-year-old continued his battle in the quarter-finals against Belgium’s Zizou Bergs, where he struggled with a left foot problem. He went on to beat Bergs in straight sets. But against Valentin Vacherot, Djokovic couldn’t pull the same magical display that he had somehow shown since the third round.

During the semi-finals clash against the World No.204, he struggled with his right ankle, left adductor, right shoulder, and then the upper part of his left glute. He began the match with discomfort, which led him to try to manage his game rather than going fully out against the Frenchman on the court.

After saving break points in the first game of the second set, he fell to his knees in distress, but rose up and continued to battle on. The crowd was on his side throughout the encounter, pushing him never to give up and he kept showing his unique shotmaking skills and athleticism on the court.

But that wasn’t enough, as Vacherot had the final say, beating Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 to reach his first ATP Masters final. The former World No.1 was seeking to win his 101st title at the Shanghai Masters after his rival Jannik Sinner had retired from his third-round match against Dutch star Tallon Griekspoor.

Valentin Vacherot ends Novak Djokovic’s hopes of winning the Rolex Shanghai Masters

Novak Djokovic showed fighting spirit in the semi-finals of the Rolex Shanghai Masters, but Valentin Vacherot was not ready to give up his first opportunity of reaching the final of the WTA 1000 tournament. The World No.204 became the lowest-ranked player to reach the final of an ATP Masters event since 1990.

Novak Djokovic, Valentin Vacherot
Novak Djokovic, Valentin Vacherot (Image via X/Danny, The Tennis Letter)

His win against Djokovic is the biggest match victory of his career. Previously, it was Holger Rune, whom he defeated in the quarter-finals. He revealed during his on-court interview that he doesn’t have words to describe what he has done on the court. The 26-year-old added that it was an unbelievable experience playing against Djokovic on the court:

I’m not realising [what’s happened], so I can’t give any words on it. This is just crazy. First of all, to just be on the other side of the court [from Novak] was an unbelievable experience. I think I’ve got so much to learn from this match, from him. Even for myself, I’ve got a lot to keep. It was an hour and 40 minutes of pure joy, even though not many people wanted me to keep going. He’s really appreciated here. He has won four times.

Vacherot is now set to climb into the top 100 of the ATP rankings after his run at the Shanghai Masters. He will now face Arthur Rinderknech in the finals, after the Frenchman overcame Daniil Medvedev in three sets.

Also: Former ATP Player Reveals What Alex de Minaur Must Do to Win Grand Slams against Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz