Novak Djokovic overcame exhaustion and an ankle injury scare to reach the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday, defeating Spain’s Jaume Munar 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.
The hard-fought victory keeps the 38-year-old on course for a record-extending fifth title in Shanghai, with most other top seeds either eliminated or withdrawn.
Djokovic appeared close to retiring when the match entered a deciding set, but he dug deep to break his 28-year-old opponent twice and secure the win.
“Thank you, thank you everyone, I love you!” he shouted in Chinese to the cheering crowd before leaving the court swiftly after the match.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion made a strong start despite intense humidity, breaking Munar in the fourth game. However, he suffered a scare when his left ankle slipped as he rushed the net, forcing a medical timeout.
Although he managed to continue and hold serve, Djokovic needed further treatment in the second set as fatigue took hold. He frequently crouched between rallies and even vomited on court.
Despite strong support from Serbian fans in the stands, Munar broke Djokovic in the 12th game of the second set after an unforced error. Djokovic collapsed in exhaustion but later mounted a remarkable comeback, breaking in the first and seventh games of the final set.
The win makes Djokovic the oldest player ever to reach an ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final and the highest-ranked player remaining in the tournament. World number one Carlos Alcaraz withdrew to rest, while Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz were all eliminated.
The tournament has been plagued by injuries amid high humidity and temperatures above 30°C. Sinner retired with severe cramps on Sunday, while world number 11 Holger Rune urged tennis authorities to introduce a heat policy after advancing to the last eight.
Djokovic will now face Belgium’s Zizou Bergs, who edged past Canada’s Gabriel Diallo 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (10/8) in a marathon third-set tiebreak.