Images of Novak Djokovic in China from his Instagram page (with Lacoste)
Novak Djokovic is in China for his first appearance at the Shanghai Masters since 2019 and he has a few big targets on his sights.
After admitting he has struggled to find motivation for tournaments outside of the Grand Slams and this year’s Olympic Games in Paris, some observers were surprised when Djokovic confirmed he would play in China this year.
With the lucrative Six Kings Slam exhibition event on the horizon in Saudi Arabia this month, Djokovic could have taken a back seat and coasted to the end of 2024, spending time with his family and looking forward to what may be a final push for Grand Slam glory in the New Year.
Yet he is in Shanghai and here are four reasons he should find motivation to shine in Asia.
THE CHASE FOR 100
Djokovic’s sensational Olympic Games win against Carlos Alcaraz at the Paris 2024 Games ticked off the big prize he was chasing this year, but it also took him a step closer to one of his other big goals.
Only Jimmy Connor and Roger Federer have won 100 or more career titles and Djokovic is now sitting on 99 after his Olympic gold.
Victory in Shanghai would put him in the exclusive century club of tennis champions in the men’s game and he will doubtless be keen to overhaul
Federer’s total of 103 tournament wins and maybe even the iconic Connor record of 109.
CHASING FEDERER
Djokovic is also closing in on another Federer record in Shanghai.
With 184 wins on hard courts in his career, he is just seven behind Federer’s all-time record of 191, with the next few weeks offering the Serb a big chance to move past that record.
His sensational win percentage of 88.9% on hard courts already makes him the greatest player of all-time on the surface and he will add to his legacy if he can secure a 41st Masters title in Shanghai.
TURIN CALLING
Djokovic has made it clear that qualifying for the end-of-season ATP Finals in Turin is not a priority for him, but he could get close to securing a place in that event over the next few weeks.
He is currently 9th in the ATP Race and needs to get in the top eight to reach Turin, but there are big doubts over whether 8th placed Alex de Minaur will play again this year due to injury and Djokovic will fancy his chances of overhauling some players ahead of him in the list if he plays anywhere near his best in Shanghai and then at the Paris Masters.
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RETIREMENT QUESTIONS
Djokovic will have questions in his own mind that he wants to answer as he arrives in Shanghai and he will only get the answers he is looking for on court.
He openly admitted his desire to play in ATP 1000 events is waning and repeated those sentiments last month after he played for Serbia in the Davis Cup.
He now needs to prove to himself that he can find the drive to compete with the world’s best in events outside of those that really matter to him.
VERDICT
What happens in Shanghai will almost certainly dictate the rest of this year for Djokovic.
If he gets into his first couple of matches and doesn’t feel he wants to be on court, a surprise defeat may follow and it could be a signal for him to end his 2024 season.
On the other hand, if Djokovic finds a way to be inspired and rise to the challenge in a high-quality draw in Shanghai, he could cement his place in the ATP Finals next month and head to Turin to defend his title.
Djokovic has already secured this biggest prize of his year at the Olympics and this great champion has shown time and again that when he flicks on the afterburners, he is still a threat to win any tournament at the age of 37.
