Novak Djokovic’s Shanghai Masters campaign did not go to plan this year, but the Serbian star’s previous record at the Masters tournament speaks for itself.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion was beaten in his opening round match at the Masters tournament this year, to Hubert Hurkacz.
The surprise defeat came immediately after Djokovic had won the China Open for the seventh time in his career, continuing his 100% record at the ATP 500 tournament.
While his 2026 Shanghai Masters campaign ended just as it was getting going, the star has been confirmed to keep a streak at the tournament he’s has since 2013.
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Djokovic is the last player at the Shanghai Masters to defend his title at the Chinese tournament, when he won the event back-to-back in 2012 and 2013.
Since, the likes of Andy Murray, Roger Federer, and Djokovic himself have claimed the title once again, but no one has managed the feat back-to-back.
Bizarrely, since 2019, when Daniil Medvedev lifted the title for the first time in his career, the tournament has crowned a brand-new winner.
Medvedev’s victory was followed by Hurkacz, Jannik Sinner, Valentin Vacherot, and this year’s victory, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who beat Rafael Jodar in the final.
That means Djokovic will now be on a 13-year streak of being the only player to win the Masters tournament in back-to-back year.
Shanghai Masters winners since 2012
- 2012: Novak Djokovic
- 2013: Novak Djokovic
- 2014: Roger Federer
- 2015: Novak Djokovic
- 2016: Andy Murray
- 2017: Roger Federer
- 2018: Novak Djokovic
- 2019: Daniil Medvedev
- 2020: Not Held
- 2021: Not Held
- 2022: Not Held
- 2023: Hubert Hurkacz
- 2024: Jannik Sinner
- 2025: Valentin Vacherot
- 2026: Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Djokovic is one of two players who have won the tournament back-to-back, with Murray managing the feat in 2010 and 2011.
The Serbian star’s record at the Shanghai Masters is one of many records the star holds at the Chinese tournament.
He holds the record for the most titles (4), the most finals (5), most matches played (51), most matches won (43), and best winning percentage (84.31%).
Djokovic might not have performed at his best at the 2026 event, but it will be very unlikely that any players will come close to those records in Shanghai.
With the tournament coming late in a gruelling ATP Tour schedule, the Shanghai Masters has, in recent years, become a breeding ground for breakout performances and brand new champions.
Long gone are the days when the likes of Djokovic, Federer, Murray all cleaned up at the penultimate Masters tournament on the ATP Tour calendar.
Sinner’s victory in 2024 is the first time in a long time the world No 1 was able to claim the title.
The Shanghai Masters has, inadvertently, become one of the more unpredictable Masters tournaments in men’s tennis and it’s all the more exciting for it.
