Novak Djokovic is set to begin his quest for a fifth title at the Shanghai Masters when he faces fellow veteran Marin Cilic in the second round on Friday. Meanwhile, Tallon Griekspoor is gearing up to take on an in-form Jenson Brooksby to kick off his campaign.
The highly anticipated clash between Cilic and Djokovic will mark their 22nd encounter, with Djokovic holding a significant advantage in their head-to-head record at 19 wins to just 2 losses. Cilic’s victories came during indoor hard court matches at the Paris Masters in 2016 and on grass at the Queen’s Club in 2018. Their most recent meeting was in 2022, where Djokovic emerged victorious with a score of 6-3, 6-4 in the Tel Aviv final.
Both players are at the later stages of their careers, with 38-year-old Djokovic prioritizing Grand Slams, where he reached four semifinals this year. Cilic, who is 37, has battled physical issues in recent seasons but has made a comeback, currently ranked No. 94 following a noteworthy fourth-round performance at Wimbledon. Given Djokovic’s strong motivation to compete in this event, he is expected to prevail in straight sets.
In another matchup, Griekspoor will face Brooksby for the second time this year, having lost their previous encounter at Wimbledon, where Brooksby won decisively with a score of 6-2, 7-5, 6-3. Brooksby is currently in excellent form, having reached the semifinals in Tokyo during his Asian swing, defeating Holger Rune in the quarterfinals before falling to Taylor Fritz. He continued his winning momentum by defeating qualifier James Trotter 7-6(2), 6-1 in the opening round in Shanghai.
Conversely, Griekspoor, currently ranked 31st, has struggled lately, facing a seven-match losing streak since clinching the Mallorca title in June, with no victories over opponents ranked in the top 100 during that span. With Brooksby already having a match under his belt in Shanghai, he is poised to extend Griekspoor’s unfortunate streak.
As the tournament progresses, tennis fans can anticipate thrilling matches and the potential for further classic showdowns between these seasoned players.