Djokovic wins the battle against his close friend to claim his 40th victory in Shanghai, showcasing the Chinese character "德" after the match to thank Chinese fans.

On October 3rd, 2025, in the second round of the Shanghai Masters men's singles, Serbian ace Djokovic competed against Croatian veteran Cilic. The encounter between these two experienced players, whose ages add up to 75, ended with Djokovic winning a tight match 7-6(2), 6-4, extending his record over Cilic to 20-2 and marking his 40th singles victory at the Shanghai event.

Pre-match data showed this was the 22nd career meeting between the two Grand Slam champions. Djokovic, seeded fourth and a four-time Shanghai Masters champion, was widely favored upon returning to this familiar venue. Although Cilic’s ranking has dropped to 94 recently, as the 2014 US Open champion, his serving and baseline skills remain formidable.

A viewer on the live broadcast commented, “Cilic’s serve is still powerful, but Djokovic’s return game is exceptional, neutralizing his opponent’s serving advantage.” Another fan added, “Both are veterans born in the 1980s, but Djokovic’s form is better maintained now, while Cilic’s mental toughness on crucial points is somewhat weaker.”

Regarding the odds, all major betting agencies favored Djokovic to win, predicting a straight-sets victory as the most likely outcome.

The match started with both players quickly finding their rhythm. In the first twelve games, neither gave ground, each holding serve and pushing the set to a tiebreak. In the tiebreak, Djokovic took a 3-2 lead and then scored four consecutive points, winning it 7-2 to claim the first set.

Fans in the live chat enthusiastically remarked, “Djokovic’s tiebreak skills are truly historic!” and “The performance of these two veterans makes you forget their ages.”

One viewer analyzed, “Cilic actually played well, but the gap on key points was too large.” He added, “Djokovic’s focus during the tiebreak is beyond ordinary.”

In the second set, Djokovic broke serve first in the third game and won three consecutive games to lead 3-1. Afterwards, both players held serve until Djokovic closed the set 6-4, sealing the match in 1 hour and 54 minutes. A fan joked in the live chat, “Djokovic won this match in the most efficient way!” Another said, “Cilic had chances, but Djokovic always raised his level when it mattered.”

After the match, Djokovic approached the camera for his usual interaction with fans. When he tried to write the Chinese character “德,” he suddenly forgot the strokes, creating an awkward yet amusing moment as he scratched his head. The character he finally wrote resembled both “侦” and “使.”

This scene caused the audience to burst into laughter. On social media, a fan humorously commented, “Keep coming to China, and you’ll master writing the character '德'.”

In the post-match interview, Djokovic spoke about his deep connection with China: “Over the years, I have received a lot of love and support here. Therefore, I try to give back through my tennis performance and simple Chinese phrases.” He then greeted Chinese fans using basic Chinese expressions, which was met with cheers from the crowd!

He especially thanked the audience that evening: “It’s amazing to see such a great turnout and fantastic atmosphere tonight. I know it’s the National Day holiday and the weekend, but this was only the first match — truly incredible.” Djokovic emphasized that in China he has received “the strongest support outside of my home country.”

Notably, the humid and hot weather in Shanghai today posed a significant challenge for the players. Djokovic admitted after the match, “Honestly, the humidity here today was insane. I don’t recall ever experiencing such damp conditions in China before. I can’t remember the last time I played in such humidity.”

However, Djokovic also showed professionalism: “But that’s the situation for me, my opponent, and all other players. You just have to accept it and find ways to cope.”

Having advanced successfully, Djokovic will face qualifier Hanfmann in the third round, who caused an upset by overturning 25th seed Tiafoe in the second round.

Regarding his continued success in Shanghai, Djokovic credited the support of Chinese fans: “Seeing a packed central court is truly amazing. I know it’s the National Day holiday, but having such a high attendance for a first-round match is unbelievable.” He praised the venue sincerely: “It’s one of the most beautiful courts in the world, and I thoroughly enjoyed tonight’s match.”

On social media, a fan wrote, “Watching Djokovic come to Shanghai year after year, from a young player to a mature star and now a legend, every appearance is precious.” Djokovic’s victories with his racket and his smile that eased awkward moments together created a wonderful memory tonight in Shanghai.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)