Novak Djokovic has come crashing back down to earth at the Shanghai Masters after losing his opening match to Hubert Hurkacz.
Having just claimed his 102nd career title at the China Open, Djokovic was beaten by Hubert Hurkacz in the second round of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament. Just three days after Alex de Minaur retired hurt against the Serbian in Beijing, he lost 6-4, 6-3 to the Pole.
It’s a huge blow for the 39-year-old, who had taken a huge stride towards a rare appearance at the ATP Finals in recent times. He qualified for the last two editions of the year-end event, but chose not to play. Djokovic wants to play at the ATP Finals this year, and he can be confident about making it to Turin despite his recent setback.
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Novak Djokovic can be confident of ATP Finals spot
First and foremost, Djokovic is currently ninth in the Race to Turin, which is enough to qualify for the ATP Finals. Only eight players will make it to Italy, but home favourite Jannik Sinner – in second place – will not feature. Sinner has ended his 2026 season, thus freeing up a space further down the line.
But perhaps equally important is the Serbian’s record at the Paris Masters, his next major tournament. The ATP legend is a seven-time champion at the event, with his stunning record including three successive titles from 2013-2015. He clearly feels at home at the tournament, where another lengthy run is very much on the cards, particularly if the draw works in his favour. The veteran will be looking to repeat his heroics from Beijing, where he finished an extraordinary week by lifting the trophy.
| Rank | Player | Live points |
| 1 | Alexander Zverev (Qualified) | 8,800 |
| 2 | Jannik Sinner (Not playing) | 7,950 |
| 3 | Carlos Alcaraz (Qualified) | 4,600 |
| 4 | Ben Shelton | 4,480 |
| 5 | Flavio Cobolli | 3,540 |
| 6 | Frances Tiafoe | 3,380 |
| 7 | Arthur Fils | 3,325 |
| 8 | Daniil Medvedev | 3,070 |
| 9 | Novak Djokovic | 2,840 |
| 10 | Alex de Minaur | 2,780 |
Djokovic is pushing for an ATP Finals spot, for which he should have real motivation after his shock early exit in Shanghai. He may, however, be looking over his shoulder at De Minaur, who is 10th in the rankings and currently enjoying a fine run of form. Unlike Djokovic, he remains at the Shanghai Masters, as do Rafael Jodar and Taylor Fritz. They are next in the list, with a handful of others also still in contention.
But nobody in the rankings boasts the experience and know-how that the Serbian does, which should stand him in good stead in the French capital early next month. The last ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the season, the Paris Masters takes place from 2-8 November, with the ATP Finals following from 15-22 November. The race for Turin is extremely exciting, and while he will be taking nothing for granted, Djokovic should be backing himself for a highly coveted place.
