Valentin Vacherot, who arrived in Shanghai as an alternate and wasn’t even sure he’d get to play qualifying, just pulled off the biggest win of his life. In Saturday’s semifinals, the World No. 204 stunned four-time champion Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 to book his place in the Rolex Shanghai Masters final. The 26-year-old Monegasque delivered a composed, fearless performance from start to finish, making the World No. 5 look uncharacteristically unsettled. Djokovic, who appeared to be dealing with a worsening hip issue as the first set wore on, simply couldn’t find his rhythm.

Just hours ago, The Tennis Letter took to X to share Novak Djokovic’s icy response during his press conference. After the match, a reporter asked him, “How do you feel after this match, how much did you risk to continue, and can I just ask you maybe next week you will just rest or you think to go to Arabia?” That’s when Djokovic’s tone turned businesslike, as he chose to congratulate his opponent over discussing his form.

Instead of addressing his own performance, Djokovic shifted the spotlight. “I want to congratulate Valentin for reaching his first Masters final,” he said. “Going from qualifications, it’s an amazing story. I told him at the net that he’s had an amazing tournament, but more so his attitude is very good, and his game was amazing as well. So it’s all about him. I wish him all the best in the finals, and the better player won today.”

A clearly struggling Djokovic received multiple medical treatments and even threw up courtside days before, but refused to retire, fighting through two sets despite looking far from his best. After the match, however, the Serbian star chose not to comment on his physical struggles, remaining silent about the injury that seemed to hamper him throughout. On the other side of the net, Valentin Vacherot’s improbable dream run continues, as the 26-year-old will now face either his cousin, fellow Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech, or No. 16 seed Daniil Medvedev in Sunday’s final.

But when a journalist followed up with, “Can you talk about your physical condition?” Djokovic cut it short with a sharp, “No. Next question, please.” While it seems the 38-year-old is not yet ready to talk about his health, let’s take a look at what exactly happened to him.

Novak Djokovic battles through brutal heat in Shanghai showdown

Midway through the Shanghai semifinal, Novak Djokovic suddenly found himself in serious trouble. At 3-4 in the opening set against Valentin Vacherot, the Serbian star stopped play, grimacing in pain as he called for a medical timeout. A physio quickly rushed to his side while Djokovic clutched his lower back, clearly struggling to move with his trademark fluidity and control. The situation took a concerning turn when Spanish outlet Punto De Break’s director revealed more details about Djokovic’s physical struggles.

According to the report, “Djokovic, who was already dealing with issues in his right ankle, left adductor, and the back of his right shoulder, now adds a new physical problem in Shanghai: the upper part of his left glute.” [Translated from Spanish]. For a player renowned for his durability and recovery, this latest setback raised serious questions about whether his body is beginning to feel the wear and tear of his long, demanding career. However, this isn’t the first time Novak Djokovic’s health has been pushed to the brink in Shanghai.

Earlier in the tournament, he collapsed during a grueling battle against world No. 41 Jaume Munar, completely drained by the oppressive heat and humidity that have turned this year’s event into a war of endurance. The moment was frightening as Novak Djokovic fell to the ground, forearm shielding his eyes from the bright lights, before slowly sitting up and bowing his head between his knees as a trainer rushed over. But that’s not all.

Even before that, the physical toll had been relentless. In his match against Yannick Hanfmann, Djokovic was seen vomiting courtside, a stark sign of the extreme conditions players have faced all week. “It’s brutal when you have over 80 percent humidity day after day, particularly for the guys when they’re playing during the day with heat, with sun, it’s even more brutal. For me, biologically it’s a bit more challenging to deal with it. But I had to really weather the storm today,” Djokovic said after that match. Given how much his body has endured, the question now is, how much more can the Serbian legend push through?