Novak Djokovic delivered a remarkable display of endurance at the Shanghai Masters 2025, overcoming a left leg injury and brutal heat conditions to defeat Spain’s Jaume Munar 6–3, 5–7, 6–2 in a grueling two-hour and forty-minute match that secured his place in the quarterfinals.
The 38-year-old Serbian star requested a medical timeout early in the first set after feeling discomfort in his left leg, and later had his vital signs checked as on-court temperatures climbed to nearly 30 °C (86 °F) with humidity exceeding 80 percent.
Exhausted by the conditions, Djokovic collapsed briefly after losing the second set but somehow found the strength to recover, taking two decisive breaks in the final set to close out the match. With this victory, Djokovic becomes the oldest player in history to reach the quarterfinals of a Masters 1000 event, proving once again that his physical and mental fortitude remain unmatched.
He will now face Belgian Zizou Bergs as he continues his pursuit of a fifth Shanghai title. Following the match, tournament organizers confirmed that the ATP is considering the introduction of a formal heat policy after multiple player withdrawals and growing concern over the extreme conditions that have turned Shanghai’s courts into a “sauna,” as described by several competitors.
