Novak Djokovic continues to remind tennis fans just how legendary he is, now with yet another record to his name. This week, at the Shanghai Masters, the Serbian superstar became the oldest player to reach an ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal ever, pushing past physical pain and brutal humidity, and serving up success at age 38 years and 4 months.
Novak Djokovic: Breaking Records… and Breaking a Sweat
Novak Djokovic’s showdown with Jaume Munar was anything but straightforward. He looked cool and collected in the first set, but as the match wore on, the conditions started to do what no opponent seems capable of: make Djokovic sweat. The heat, the humidity, and an aching ankle almost got the better of him, with medical timeouts and even moments where he slumped to the floor or took icy towels courtside just to stay upright.
But that’s the thing about Novak; he doesn’t just play tennis, he owns it. The moment Munar blinked in the third set, Djokovic bounced back, and by the time the final point landed, Djokovic had not only beaten Munar 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, but also surpassed a record set by Roger Federer back in 2019.
Federer was just two months younger when he made his own Shanghai quarterfinal, and now it’s Novak Djokovic’s turn to wear the crown of “oldest,” and fans in China could not get enough of him. Djokovic manages the miraculous nearly every season, but this feat puts him on a pedestal even above Federer and Nadal now, not just as one of the sport’s goats but as THE fighter who keeps coming back for more.
Shanghai might be sweating, but Djokovic is just warming up, chasing his 41st ATP Masters 1000 title, and making every fan rethink just what’s possible in tennis. Nobody’s surprised, of course. It’s Novak Djokovic: the man, the legend, and now, the oldest quarterfinalist to ever do it at a Masters 1000.
Also read: Extreme Heat Takes A Toll On Tennis Players In China
