Djokovic: The humidity in Shanghai is unbelievably intense; my laundry expenses this week will be quite high!

Novak Djokovic is taking part in the 2025 Shanghai Masters. During the second round of this ATP1000 tournament, he overcame Cilic and later discussed how to handle the humid weather in China.

The high temperatures and humidity at the Shanghai Masters have impacted the players. Earlier this week, world No. 61 Altmaier had to withdraw mid-match in the opening round because of "heat stress." After retiring, Altmaier admitted that the weather was suffocating and even caused him to "lose consciousness."

At a recent press conference, Djokovic commented on the harsh conditions in Shanghai: "Honestly, the humidity here is crazy. I don’t recall the weather in China ever being this humid, nor can I remember the last time I played under such moisture. But it’s the same for me, my opponents, and everyone else—we just have to accept it and adapt. There’s a lot of sweating, so my laundry bills will be high this week, but that’s okay. I hope I can keep going."

Despite the challenging weather, Djokovic managed to win his opening match, defeating the Croatian star Cilic 7-6(2), 6-4. The humidity made it hard for him to maintain a steady grip at first, and he also faced Cilic’s powerful shots, with the Croatian hitting 20 winners in the first set. Although Djokovic seemed to experience some back discomfort in the third game of the second set, he still launched clean and sharp attacks from both sides, eventually securing a tough victory after 1 hour and 55 minutes.

“I definitely struggled to find my rhythm near the baseline,” Djokovic admitted after the match. “I’m a bit short on match practice—I last played at the US Open—so my first match against Marin was very tough. Once he gets going, he’s dangerous and can beat anyone. He didn’t give me any breathing room, so I think with some good serving, I finally got out of trouble, which makes me very happy.”

Despite some recent health concerns, including physical issues that troubled him during last month’s US Open, Djokovic’s trademark efficiency remains impeccable. In the match against Cilic, Djokovic once again demonstrated his unique ability to raise his level at critical moments. He currently leads their head-to-head record by 20 wins to 2 losses.

For Djokovic, the Shanghai Masters marks his first non-Grand Slam tournament in four months. His last event was the US Open, where he reached the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Alcaraz.

At the post-match press conference, the 38-year-old Serbian reflected on his performance: “I felt my serving was excellent. I served more aces than him, which is unusual against a player like Marin. I managed to get out of trouble with my serve and some good shots. But there’s no doubt it was a tough match for me. Sometimes starting a tournament with a match like this is actually good.”

Next, Djokovic will face German player Hanfmann in the third round. They have met once before, with Djokovic winning comfortably.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Spark)