Novak Djokovic experienced a surprise second-round loss to Hubert Hurkacz at the Shanghai Masters. This defeat occurred just three days after Djokovic's victory at the China Open in Beijing, where he lifted his 102nd career title.
The 39-year-old, who was contesting his sixth match in 10 days, lost to Hurkacz for the first time in their nine career meetings. Hurkacz, ranked 34th in the world and a winner in 2023, secured a 6-4 6-3 victory in 87 minutes.
Djokovic's win in Beijing had boosted his chances of qualifying for the season-ending ATP Finals. However, following his Shanghai exit, he will now require a strong showing at the Paris Masters in November to break into the top eight in the race to Turin.
In other Shanghai Masters news, Great Britain's Arthur Fery was defeated by former top-10 player Karen Khachanov in a closely contested three-set match.