Novak Djokovic showed his champion’s spirit by fighting his way into the semi-finals of the 2025 Shanghai Masters, pulling off a tough 6-3, 7-5 win against Zizou Bergs. The match took place in the sweltering heat and humidity that has been a hallmark of the tournament. It was quite a moment as the 38-year-old Serbian made history, becoming the oldest quarter-finalist in ATP Masters 1000 history, surpassing Roger Federer, all while chasing after a record-extending fifth Shanghai title.

But really, the match was more about just hanging in there than the final score. The tough conditions at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center really tested the tennis legend and his fellow players to their limits.

It was a hard-fought victory

According to Tennis TV on X, after his quarterfinal win, Novak Djokovic opened up about the challenge he faced, saying, “[I had to give] pretty much everything, just trying to stay alive on the court. First encounter with Bergs, great guy, and a lot of firepower in his game. I tried to make him miss the ball; that’s what happened. I was a little bit too passive. Challenging conditions for all the players. Just trying to stay alive and overcome this hurdle.”

Earlier in the tournament, you could really see Djokovic struggling with his physical issues. In his tough fourth-round match that lasted two hours and 41 minutes against Jaume Munar, the Serbian had to take a medical timeout after he hurt his leg in the first set. The medics took a look at his vitals, and it was pretty hot out there, with temperatures sitting around 30 degrees Celsius (86°F) and the humidity feeling like a heavy blanket at 80 percent. Also, Djokovic threw up during his match with Yannick Hanfmann on Sunday.

“It’s the same for every player out on the court, but it’s brutal,” the Serbian shared after his round of 32 win, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3. However, this time around, he did have some fun during the game. Yeah, he was definitely a total troll.

During the game, Djokovic went for several lob shots while trying to secure a point. Indeed, he just kept going, while his quarterfinal opponent Bergs was doing everything he could to figure out how to take down the Serbian. But you know, patience really paid off, and in the end, Djokovic clinched that point with nothing but lob shots. Just like that, when the Serbian found himself with the upper hand during a deuce in those final moments of the game, he began to pull out his little tricks on the court once more.

This time, it wasn’t a lob, but he still managed to outsmart his opponent. Even Bergs had to give Djokovic some credit, saying, “Man, I gotta stop idolising you.” But let’s get back to what’s happening in Shanghai—Djokovic isn’t the only one dealing with tough times there. The number of players who have struggled in the Shanghai heat is pretty surprising!

Novak Djokovic wasn’t the only affected player in this Chinese weather

For sure, Novak Djokovic had quite a few challenges at the Shanghai Masters. But for some other players, it was way worse. Defending champion Jannik Sinner had to pull out of his third-round match after experiencing such intense cramps that he could hardly walk. He even had to use his racket to help him get around before he decided to end the match. Other pros, like Terence Atmane and Hamad Medjedovic, also had to retire because of the heat. Francisco Comesana looked like he was about to collapse and had to rely on his opponent for help on the court.

Things have been pretty tough at the WTA event in Wuhan too. Emma Raducanu had to retire from her match because she was feeling dizzy and even got her blood pressure checked. Meanwhile, Bianca Andreescu shared a video on social media showing her wringing sweat out of her socks, claiming that the weather felt like playing “tennis in a sauna.” It’s been quite a shocker, really, with seven players retiring or pulling out at the Shanghai Masters alone. That brings the total to 41 incidents at ATP Masters 1000 events this season, highlighting a serious issue when it comes to player welfare.

Players are really stepping up and calling for action because of this wave of physical breakdowns, putting some pressure on the governing bodies of the sport. Holger Rune, who made it to the quarter-finals, was overheard asking an ATP supervisor, “Why doesn’t the ATP have a heat rule? You want a player to die on the court?”

Talking to reporters, Rune said, “We can handle a certain amount of heat because we are fit, we’re strong, we’re mentally strong as well, but there’s always a limit. I think it’s also important to take care of your health. We need to survive.” In a similar vein, Iga Swiatek has shared her thoughts, saying, “This kind of heat is like something that we just need to survive, and it’s not like we can’t. Maybe giving us five more seconds to use the towel or to have more time to breathe, because it is a bit harder, would be nice.”

As the tournament rolls on, Djokovic is gearing up to take on Valentin Vacherot in the semi-finals. However, the chatter has really turned from titles and records to focusing on health and safety.