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Novak Djokovic suffers first defeat to Hubert Hurkacz three days after China Open triumph

Novak Djokovic’s winning streak was halted abruptly at the Shanghai Masters, where he fell in straight sets (6-4, 6-3) to Hubert Hurkacz just three days after capturing his 102nd career title at the China Open. The 39-year-old Serbian, who claimed his first trophy of 2026 in Beijing, struggled to replicate his form on the faster Shanghai courts, losing his opening match despite a first-round bye.

Hurkacz, making his first appearance at the tournament since his 2023 victory, dominated with 13 aces and 28 winners, overcoming Djokovic in just over an hour. The Pole’s serve proved too potent, as Djokovic admitted he failed to adjust to the surface’s pace, losing key service games that decided the match.

Djokovic now shifts focus to the European indoor season, with the Paris Masters next on his schedule, while Hurkacz advances to face either Lorenzo Musetti or Zhou Yi in the third round.

Elsewhere, Alexander Zverev continued his push for the year-end No. 1 ranking by defeating Wu Yibing (6-4, 7-6) in Shanghai, securing his spot if he reaches the semifinals or if rivals Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton falter in the Masters 1000 events.

Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner’s season ended prematurely due to knee inflammation, forcing him to forfeit points from his 2023 titles, including the Vienna Open, Paris Masters, and ATP Finals. Arthur Fery also faced an early exit, losing a grueling three-set match (7-6, 6-7, 7-6) to Karen Khachanov in Shanghai.

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