Shanghai
Djokovic serves aces & phrases: Shanghai crowd falls in love again
Serbian offers words in Chinese following opening win at ATP Masters 1000 event
October 03, 2025
Rolex Shanghai Masters
Novak Djokovic is a record four-time champion at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
By Jerome Coombe
Novak Djokovic is not only a master on the tennis court, but also a master of personal connection. Whether it’s Italian in Rome, French in Paris, or Mandarin in Shanghai, the 38-year-old knows how to bring cultures together with a few heartfelt words.
After his opening-round win against Marin Cilic at the Rolex Paris Masters on Friday night, Djokovic won the crowd all over again. He had fans buzzing when he spoke to them in Chinese and signed the camera lens with a local character.
“Those are some of the phrases I’ve learned over the years, so I have to update my knowledge of the Chinese language,” said Djokovic, the former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings. “It’s always a pleasure to play in front of such passionate fans. People have been giving me lots of love and support over the years, so I try to give them back with good tennis, and also a basic knowledge of Chinese language with a few phrases.
“It was amazing to see the packed house tonight. I know it’s a national holiday and weekend, but for the first match, it’s incredible. It’s one of the most beautiful stadiums, and I totally enjoy myself.”
That mutual affection has been building for more than a decade. Djokovic is this week making his 11th appearance in Shanghai, where he has lifted the trophy a record four times. He even left his mark in 2008, winning the Nitto ATP Finals (then the Masters Tennis Cup) during its Shanghai chapter.
Djokovic wows Shanghai crowd with local character:
This particular reunion, however, came with an extra challenge: the humidity. Djokovic found himself sweating through grips faster than usual, resorting to sawdust for traction.
“It’s crazy humid, to be honest. I don’t recall the weather being so humid in China,” Djokovic said. “I don’t remember the last time I played in humidity like this. It is what it is… It’s the same for me, my opponent, and every other player. You just have to accept it, deal with it. A lot of sweating. The laundry bills will be quite high this week, but that’s okay.”
Now, Djokovic shifts his focus to a third-round meeting with Yannick Hanfmann, who acclimated well to the conditions. The German has come through four matches, including qualifying, and will aim to unload his heavy hitting on Djokovic.
As well as taking a 1-0 Lexus ATP Head2Head lead into their clash, however, Djokovic will also take confidence from his own serving performance on Friday against Cilic. The Serbian saved all four break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and hit 10 aces to Cilic’s six.
“I think the serving performance was great. I aced him more than he aced me, which is not very common when you play somebody like Marin,” said Djokovic. “He has got one of the best serves in the world. He was very aggressive. When he feels the ball, he plays so flat, so deep.
“I dug myself out of trouble with the serve and some good shots. But it was a tough match for me, no doubt about it. It’s good sometimes to kick-start the tournament with such a match.”
