Novak Djokovic was beaten in the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters by Valentin Vacherot on Saturday, but the Serbian tennis great showed class to the crowd after his exit from the tournament
Novak Djokovic was seen making a heart gesture to his fans at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena following his exit from the Shanghai Masters. After suffering a 6-3 6-4 defeat to Valentin Vacherot in the semi-finals on Saturday, Djokovic demonstrated true sportsmanship.
Despite his loss, Djokovic received a standing ovation as he left the court, acknowledging his fans and expressing his gratitude for their support. Vacherot joined in the applause as Djokovic, with his bags slung over his shoulders, proceeded to sign balls, caps and shirts for fans by the side of the arena.
The 38-year-old’s performance was commendable, having achieved more than anyone else at the ATP tournament. Djokovic, who holds the record for the most wins at the Shanghai Masters with four titles, was given due respect at the event this week.
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He entered the competition as one of the favourites on Friday, breezing through the round of 64 and round of 32 with victories over Marin Cilic and Yannick Hanfmann.
However, his round of 16 match against Jaume Munar raised eyebrows worldwide when Djokovic collapsed on the court and vomited.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion struggled with Shanghai’s heat and humidity, requiring checks on his vitals between sets. Djokovic was also seen wincing in pain and seemingly suffering from a left leg injury just 3-1 into the first set, reports the Express.
Despite the odds, he managed to secure a 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 victory over his German rival, advancing him to the quarter-finals. Although he declined media duties post-match, he took to Instagram to update his fans.
There, he wrote: “Tough day at the office. Very challenging physically. Luckily, I have the greatest support in the world.”
In the quarter-finals, Djokovic clinched a 6-3 7-5 win against Zizou Bergs, setting up a semi-final clash with ATP No. 204, Vacherot.
And While many spectators expected Djokovic to emerge victorious, the match didn’t quite unfold as anticipated. Vacherot shocked everyone by defeating Djokovic and securing his spot in the tournament’s final.
In his post-match interview, the Monégasque star humbly said: “I don’t know how long it went, it was one hour, 40 [minutes] of pure joy even though not many people wanted me to keep going.
“He’s really, really, really appreciated here, he’s won four times, I think, if I heard. I got a bit lost in all of his titles when they were announcing him. But unreal experience, and now I’m probably just going to enjoy the win tonight and think about the final tomorrow.”
Following his victory, Vacherot is set to go head-to-head with either Daniil Medvedev or Arthur Rinderknech in Sunday’s final, depending on the result of their semi-final showdown.