Novak Djokovic will not compete again until next month after suffering an opening-round defeat at the Shanghai Masters. The No. 10 seed arrived in Shanghai on a five-match winning streak after lifting his 102nd career title at the China Open in Beijing on Tuesday.
However, the tight turnaround and a brutal draw proved too much for him, as Djokovic ran out of steam in a 6-4 6-3 defeat at the hands of 2023 champion Hubert Hurkacz. The Serbian star received a bye directly into the second round but faced an in-form Pole, who recently reached the final in Chengdu and the semi-finals in Beijing.
Hurkacz extends Shanghai streak
Hurkacz was on a seven-match winning streak at the Shanghai Masters. He had not played at the event since lifting the trophy three years ago due to injuries, and beat James Duckworth in round one before taking out Djokovic in a battle of the former champions.
Next stop: Paris Masters
Now, the 39-year-old Serb has confirmed that his next tournament will be the Paris Masters, which runs from November 2 to 8.
