By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, October 9, 2026
Photo credit: Screen Shot
Novak Djokovic hit the wall—and Hubert Hurkacz hurdled a career-high barrier.
Hurkacz hammered 15 forehand winners defeating Djokovic 6-4, 6-3 to score his eighth straight Rolex Shanghai Masters win today.
It is Hurkacz’s first win over Djokovic in nine career meetings—and his first match in Shanghai since he captured the 2023 tournament title.
The 29-year-old Pole served 70 percent, pounded 13 aces against 2 double faults and saved both break points he faced in a confident conquest that was his third Top 10 victory of the season. Hurkacz became the 31st player to score career wins over each Big 3 champion: Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
“It was a challenging match, which always it’s a big fight with Novak,” Hurkacz said. “I was pleased with how I performed, how I served aggressive in important moments.”
It marked the first time in 12 tournament appearances Djokovic lost his opening match at the Rolex Shanghai Masters. Djokovic defeated three Top 10 opponents in succession—Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev and Alex de Minaur—to collect his seventh Beijing championship and 102nd career crown earlier this week.
Drained by his rousing Beijing run—and handcuffed by Hurkacz’s serve at times—Djokovic lacked the energy to combat a sharp Hurkacz.
“I wasn’t close to what I was playing in Beijing. I’m slightly more tired, not fresh,” Djokovic said. “Hubi was serving very big and, you know, I didn’t feel myself on the court in terms of feeling the ball. It’s super quick surface, completely different from Beijing.
“Yeah, if you lose your serve, it’s enough to lose the match, just once per set. That’s what happened. It’s very difficult to return his serve, almost impossible, he was serving big. So, yeah, I didn’t adjust, and it was a really tough draw for me to play him in the first match here.”
A depleted Djokovic was pacing slowly behind the baseline using every single second of the serve clock between points.
Hurkacz carved out a drop volley winner and Djokovic netted a slice backhand to face a second set point in the 10th game.
Pouncing on the Serbian’s second serve, Hurkacz hammered an inside-out forehand return to snatch the opening set with a bang. It was the first time Djokovic lost an opening set in Shanghai.
Empowered, Hurkacz lifted another lilting drop shot, Hurkacz held for a 2-1 second-set lead then ratcheted up pressure on Djokovic’s serve.
Following a forehand forward, the Pole pounded a smash—his 25th winner—for break point.
A methodical Djokovic double-faulted into net—his first double fault of the night—prompting a collective groan from Shanghai fans as Hurkacz broke for 3-1 after 71 minutes of play.
Hurkacz, who retired from his Beijing semifinal vs. Alex de Minaur due to an adductor issue, grew stronger as this match progressed.
“Well, I mean, of course he was struggling a bit,” Hurkacz said of Djokovic. “Obviously, he had an amazing week in Beijing, so it’s not easy to recover just after a few days.”
World No. 34 Hurkacz threw down another ace then saw Djokovic belt a wild off the back wall as he backed up the break for 4-1.
A crafty Hurkacz held the ball on his strings for a moment then froze the Beijing champion looping a perfect rainbow lob winner for 5-2.
A calm Hurkacz stamped a love hold wrapping up his first career win over Djokovic in one hour, 27 minutes. Hurkacz will play either Chinese wild card Yi Zhou or 24th-seeded Italian Lorenzo Musetti next.
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