After experiencing Wimbledon, Roland Garros, and the US Open slip through his fingers, Novak Djokovic now sets his sights on the Shanghai Masters. A four-time champion at this event, Djokovic is chasing a fifth crown, but his path won’t be easy. His fiercest young rivals have repeatedly stood in his way. Notably, Carlos Alcaraz ousted him at Roland Garros. Janik Sinner ended his Wimbledon run, and Alcaraz struck again at the US Open. As Djokovic prepares for his Shanghai comeback, his full schedule has come to light.

The Serbinator of the Shanghai Masters will enter this year’s tournament with a favourable start, skipping Round 1 thanks to the bye. His journey will officially begin in Round 2, where he will face the winner of Corentin Moutet vs. Marin Cilic. Should he advance in round three, he could face the Frances Tiafoe and Lorenzo Sonego matchup winners. While in the Round of 16, the former champion will either face Andrey Rublev or Flavio Cobolli. Each of these matches holds great potential for excitement.

Looking further down the draw, if Djokovic reaches the quarterfinals, he could face a stern test against Ben Shelton, Casper Ruud, or Francisco Cerundolo. A semi-final showdown might pit him against Jannik Sinner, Taylor Fritz, or even Shelton again. Should he make it to the final, Djokovic could clash with one of tennis’s brightest stars: Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Alex de Minaur, or Lorenzo Musetti. All in all, his journey to the 5th title in Shanghai remains a rocky path.

Currently ranked No. 4, Novak Djokovic has posted a 31-10 record this season, reaching the semifinals at every Grand Slam. On the other side, his emerging rival Jannik Sinner, who holds a 6–4 edge in their Head2Head series and defeated Djokovic in last year’s Shanghai final, will open his campaign against either Daniel Altmaier or a qualifier.

If we were to talk about Novak Djokovic’s lead against Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz, then Djokovic leads Ben Shelton 1–0 and holds a dominant 11–0 record over Taylor Fritz in their head-to-head encounters. Well, the former world number 1 is at the last leg of his career, but what’s next for him? Let’s find out.

Novak Djokovic’s retirement plans revealed

Novak Djokovic is chasing his 25th Grand Slam, and despite the inevitable march of time, speculation about his career longevity continues. Coach Mark Knowles believes the Serbian star shows no signs of slowing down, confidently predicting Djokovic will remain a top contender well into 2026 and 2027. As per the coach, the Serbian will plan to centre his efforts on the Grand Slams now. He added that nothing would be more remarkable than watching Djokovic defy “Father Time.”

“You know what, Novak [Djokovic] is hard to speculate on. I don’t think any mere mortal could find motivation to still play, but he does. Thankfully for us, we get to see him play. We want to see the all-time greats play forever. He is testing Father Time, which we all love. Nobody has defeated it ever. He is coming close. He is in a battle with it,” said coach Mark Knowles.

With age catching up to him, injuries and a lack of form became a cause for concern. Those powerful groundstrokes and legs, which covered the entire court with ease, certainly slowed down in 2025. Yet, Knowles believes he could play for the next two years with his fitness getting top-notch.

He further added, “From what I have heard, Novak is going to play in 2026 and 2027. From what I’m hearing, there are no thoughts of him shutting things down. So he obviously loves the challenge and still believes in himself. I think Novak has been pretty transparent with his schedule. He is severely focused on the majors and trying to get number 25.”

Knowles hinted that Djokovic’s drive to keep competing might not just be about glory; lucrative sponsorship deals could also fuel it. Regardless, the athlete will be looking to add a few more titles before kissing goodbye to the sport. What is your opinion on his career? State your thoughts in the comments below.