Novak Djokovic Broke His Own Rule With Shanghai Announcement- Here’s Why

Earlier this month, Djokovic weighed in on his approach to the demanding Masters 1000 events. “I do fancy my chances a bit more in best-of-three, I guess, one-week tournaments or the Masters tournaments, where you have almost two weeks with quite a few days between matches. So, you know, that could serve me better in the matchups against them,” the 38-year-old explained, signalling his calculated approach to tournament selection.

Djokovic’s own assessment of his matchups against Alcaraz and Sinner adds a layer of intrigue to his Shanghai decision. Following his US Open exit, he suggested that a best-of-three format might be more advantageous than a gruelling five-set battle. This year, he lost to these two stars in three of the four slams, except the Australian Open, where he defeated Alcaraz in the quarters but suffered a hamstring injury that forced him to retire mid-semifinal against Alexander Zverev.

Relentless participation and dominance have defined Djokovic’s career across the ATP calendar, with victories at all nine Masters 1000 tournaments. Yet, in the last five years, he has played no more than four events annually, missing both clay-court Masters in Madrid and Rome before Roland Garros. Djokovic admitted, “To be quite frank with you, I don’t enjoy the two-week Masters events anymore. It’s just way too long for me.”

While Djokovic’s pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam remains the primary narrative, former coaches and insiders remind the tennis world that his biggest obstacles may not be the obvious ones. The physical toll, the strategic scheduling, and the relentless pressure of chasing history intertwine, creating a complex path where even the greatest of all time must navigate carefully. A French tennis coach explained the effect of Djokovic getting older. 

Patrick Mouratoglou explains why Djokovic may miss the 25th slam

Patrick Mouratoglou, who famously guided Serena Williams to 10 of her 23 major titles, has shared his insights on Novak Djokovic’s struggles to secure his 25th Grand Slam. He believes the Serbian superstar has begun confronting a truth he may have ignored just two years ago: he is no longer invincible, a realisation amplified by the meteoric rise of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

“It’s incredible to think that just two years ago, Novak was on top of the world. He was the best player by far in 2023: winning three Grand Slams and reaching the final of the fourth,” Mouratoglou recalled. “He was saying: ‘36 is the new 26, my body is in perfect shape.’” But the narrative has shifted dramatically. “The message has changed. From being untouchable, he started to lose against Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. And now, he admits: ‘my body is not strong enough to fight those two guys in five-set Grand Slams.’” Even the greatest champions are vulnerable to the subtle erosion of confidence, and Djokovic is no exception.

A strong run in Shanghai could serve as a crucial boost, reinforcing Djokovic’s chances of ending the year in the top four, which would secure a more favourable seeding at the 2026 Australian Open. There, he will pursue an 11th title and the historic 25th major. Outside of Shanghai, Djokovic has only confirmed his participation in the ATP 250 event in Athens, with his entries in the Paris Masters and ATP Finals in Turin still undecided.

Yet, a lingering question hovers over Shanghai: can Djokovic finally claim the title he narrowly missed last year? With age, wear, and rising rivals in the mix, every match is both a test of skill and a battle of belief, and the outcome could define the next chapter of his legendary career.