Is Novak Djokovic Human? Doubts Arise After He Overcomes Injury Scare in Shanghai

The match started with Djokovic looking less like the former world number one and more like someone who’d just lost a fight with a particularly aggressive piece of furniture. He was clearly struggling, clutching at his left foot and moving with the kind of caution you see from someone trying to cross a floor covered in LEGO bricks. Bergs, to his credit, was fired up and ready to capitalize. The Belgian has a game that’s as fun to watch as his name is to say, and he came out swinging.

But then, the inevitable happened. Djokovic, channeling whatever dark magic he keeps stored in his racket, shook off the cobwebs and the pain. He started doing Djokovic things: returning impossible serves, hitting lines with laser precision, and generally making his opponent question his life choices. He snagged the first set 6-3, leaving everyone wondering, “How does he do that?”

The second set was an absolute dogfight. It was the kind of high-stakes drama you pay good money to see. Bergs wasn’t going down without a fight. He battled back, trading blows with the Serbian titan. At 5-4, Djokovic served for the match, and for a fleeting moment, it looked like we were headed for a routine finish. But Bergs had other ideas. He broke back with a return game so good it should be framed and hung in a museum. The crowd roared, sensing a classic was brewing.

The Point That Broke the Match

Then came the point of the tournament. In the very next game, Bergs threw everything but the kitchen sink at Djokovic, unleashing a barrage of five consecutive overhead smashes. Any normal human would have buckled. But Djokovic isn’t a normal human. He is “The Great Wall of Novak,” a relentless, ball-retrieving machine. He somehow, miraculously, won the point, broke Bergs’ serve, and let out a roar that probably registered on the Richter scale. It was a soul-crushing moment for Bergs and a reminder to everyone watching: never, ever count Djokovic out. He promptly served out the match, sealing his spot in a record-extending 80th Masters 1000 semi-final.

What’s Next for the Ageless Wonder?

So, Djokovic moves on, two wins away from what would be his 41st Masters 1000 title. His opponent in the semi-final? The surprise of the tournament, Valentin Vacherot. The Monegasque qualifier has been “living the dream,” upsetting Holger Rune in a thrilling three-setter to book his date with the legend.

It’s another classic “David vs. Goliath” story, but when Goliath is Novak Djokovic, you have to wonder if David even stands a chance. One thing is for sure: Djokovic has once again proven that age is just a number, and pain is just a suggestion. As he continues his quest for yet another title, the tennis world is left with one lingering question: Is there anything this man can’t do?