Novak Djokovic’s journey at the 2025 Shanghai Masters took an unexpected turn in the semi-finals, where he faced a surprising defeat against qualifier Valentin Vacherot, losing in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. That loss, just two wins away from snagging a record-extending 41st ATP Masters 1000 title, was definitely one of the biggest surprises of the season.

After everything, Djokovic hopped on X to share a touching message, saying, “Shanghai, you will always have my heart. 谢谢你所做的一切 🫶🏼And Valentin Vacherot, this is your moment. You played unbelievably and have made Monaco proud 🇲🇨. Bonne chance pour la finale.” While a lot of people were focused on the surprising outcome, it was Djokovic’s response — kind, generous, and truly respectful — that really struck a chord throughout the tennis community.

Indeed, even Boris Becker, the former world No. 1 and once Djokovic’s coach, had one of the most notable responses. Becker replied to Djokovic’s message on X, saying, “You’re just a class act!”

Novak Djokovic’s social media note wasn’t just a formality; it was a heartfelt tribute. He acknowledged the host city he cares about and celebrated Vacherot’s breakthrough with genuine warmth.

For sure, Djokovic’s post and Becker’s response show a bigger story about how top athletes deal with challenges. Djokovic, clearly feeling the strain during the tournament, decided to focus the attention on his opponent instead of talking about his own struggles or frustrations. After the loss, he made sure to highlight Vacherot’s attitude and performance, saying, “It’s all about him.” But Djokovic definitely faced his own set of challenges at the Shanghai Masters.

Novak Djokovic faced an intense challenge at the Shanghai Masters

The challenging conditions at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center really pushed the players to their limits during the Shanghai Masters. After his quarterfinal win, Novak Djokovic talked 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.”

Any tennis fan could really see Djokovic having a tough time with his physical issues earlier in the tournament. In a challenging fourth-round match that went on for two hours and 41 minutes against Jaume Munar, the Serbian had to call for a medical timeout after injuring his leg in the first set. The medics checked his vitals, and astonishingly, it was really warm out there—about 86°F, and the humidity was like a thick blanket at 80 percent.

So, Novak Djokovic actually threw up during his match with Yannick Hanfmann last Sunday. But, you know, this issue wasn’t just his alone. Defending champion Jannik Sinner had to withdraw from his third-round match because he was hit with some really intense cramps that made it tough for him to even walk. He even had to use his racket to help him move around before he decided to call it a day on the match.

Other pros, like Terence Atmane and Hamad Medjedovic, had to retire too because of the heat. Francisco Comesana seemed like he was on the verge of collapsing and had to lean on his opponent for support on the court. For sure, the Shanghai Masters was quite a challenge, even for the seasoned pros. But you know what? The event was really interesting for the fans because they got to witness one of the best finals ever.