Novak Djokovic has broken another Roger Federer record that highlights his incredible longevity by reaching the semi-finals of the 2024 Shanghai Masters.
The legendary Serb overcame talented 19-year-old Czech star Jakub Mensik 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-4 in the quarter-finals in Shanghai on Friday.
Djokovic, who is playing his first tournament in China since 2019, is seeking a record-extending fifth Shanghai Masters title, having previously triumphed at the event in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2018.
The 37-year-old has won 11 titles in total in China as he is also a six-time champion at the China Open in Beijing, while he won his maiden ATP Finals crown in Shanghai in 2008. Djokovic also claimed a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The 24-time major champion’s victory over Mensik saw him to progress to a record-extending ninth semi-final at the Shanghai Masters and 78th ATP Masters 1000 semi-final overall.
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Djokovic has now reached the semi-finals at two Masters 1000 tournaments in 2024, having also made the last four in Monte Carlo.
This is the 18th consecutive season where Djokovic has appeared in the semi-finals of at least two Masters 1000 events, which sees him surpass Federer to hold the record for multiple Masters semi-final runs in the most different years.
Djokovic’s streak started in 2007, while Federer amassed his total of 17 years featuring at least two Masters 1000 semi-final appearances between 2002 and 2019.
Players to reach multiple ATP Masters 1000 semi-finals in the most seasons
Novak Djokovic – 18 (2007-2024)
Roger Federer – 17 (2002-2019)
Rafael Nadal – 15 (2005-2019)
Rafael Nadal reached two or more Masters 1000 semi-finals in 15 straight seasons from 2005 to 2019.
Federer and Djokovic are the two players with the longest span between the first and last/most recent time they competed in multiple Masters semi-finals in a season, having each achieved the feat 17 years apart.
After reaching his ninth Shanghai semi-final in his 10th appearance at the event, Djokovic revealed this run means more to him because of his scheduling approach at this stage of his career.
“It means more because I don’t get many opportunities,” Djokovic explained in his press conference.
“I mean, I have a selective schedule, so, and I haven’t played at my highest level throughout this year, except maybe few occasions, Wimbledon, Olympics, and so forth.
“So, you know, but China has been always a happy place, a place where I really played my best tennis throughout my career.
“So, you know, these kind of matches, against teenagers, (laughing) it’s something that really motivates me, you know, keeps me going, and pushes me to really dig deep, and to show to the world that I still got it, you know, in my legs, can still go the distance with the young
guys.
“So, I’m super glad that I managed to win this very challenging match.”
Djokovic will take on world No 7 Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals of the 2024 Shanghai Masters as he looks to set up a final showdown with world No 1 Jannik Sinner, who downed Tomas Machac in the last four.
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