Novak Djokovic Faces Brutal Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz Test as Shanghai Masters Looms

Looking further down the draw, if Djokovic reaches the quarterfinals, he could face a stern test against Ben Shelton, Casper Ruud, or Francisco Cerundolo. A semi-final showdown might pit him against Jannik Sinner, Taylor Fritz, or even Shelton again. Should he make it to the final, Djokovic could clash with one of tennis’s brightest stars: Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Alex de Minaur, or Lorenzo Musetti.

Currently ranked No. 4, Novak Djokovic has posted a 31-11 record this season, reaching the semi-finals at every Grand Slam. On the other side, his emerging rival Jannik Sinner, who holds a 6–4 edge in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series and defeated Djokovic in last year’s Shanghai final, will open his campaign against either Daniel Altmaier or a qualifier.

If we were to talk about Novak Djokovic’s lead against Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz, then Djokovic leads Ben Shelton 1–0 and holds a dominant 10–0 record over Taylor Fritz in their head-to-head encounters. Well, the former world number 1 is at the last leg of his career, but what’s next for him? Let’s find out.

Novak Djokovic’s retirement plans revealed

Novak Djokovic is chasing his 25th Grand Slam, and despite the inevitable march of time, speculation about his career longevity continues. Coach Mark Knowles believes the Serbian star shows no signs of slowing down, confidently predicting Djokovic will remain a top contender well into 2026 and 2027. As per the coach, the Serbian will be planning to centre his efforts on the Grand Slams now. He added that nothing would be more remarkable than watching Djokovic defy “Father Time”

“You know what, Novak [Djokovic] is hard to speculate on. I don’t think any mere mortal could find motivation to still play, but he does. Thankfully for us, we get to see him play. We want to see the all-time greats play forever. He is testing Father Time, which we all love. Nobody has defeated it ever. He is coming close. He is in a battle with it,” said coach Mark Knowles.

He further added, “From what I have heard, Novak is going to play in 2026 and 2027. From what I’m hearing, there are no thoughts of him shutting things down. So he obviously loves the challenge and still believes in himself. I think Novak has been pretty transparent with his schedule. He is severely focused on the majors and trying to get number 25.”

Knowles hinted that Djokovic’s drive to keep competing might not just be about glory; it could also be fueled by lucrative sponsorship deals. Regardless, the athlete will be looking to add a few more titles before kissing goodbye to the sport. What is your opinion on his career? State your thoughts in the comments below.