Despite physical discomfort, Novak Djokovic defeated Taylor Fritz in the Shanghai Masters semi-finals on Saturday, October 12, 2024.
According to Associated Press, Novak moved one step closer to a record 100th career title in his fifth Shanghai Masters with a 6-4, 7-6 (6) win over an American tennis player.
After winning the semi-finals, Djokovic said, “(I’ve won) many titles, had great battles and great performances. I did come here definitely with a vision and a desire to get to the final and fight for a 100th title. I get that chance against the best player in the world, and let’s see what happens.”
The 37-year-old, who had been feeling discomfort in the knee during the quarter-finals, faced another injury on Saturday.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner in a post-match conference asserted, “It always takes it out of me, these kinds of battles, but particularly towards the end of the tournament, At this stage of my career, I’m doing my best to recover, and I had some issues here and there on the court, physically, yesterday and today. But I managed to overcome it.”
Djokovic will now face world number one Jannik Sinner in the Shanghai Masters finals on Sunday, October 13, 2024.
