Novak Djokovic’s Shanghai campaign ended with a mere 10 Race to Turin points to show for it, as Hubert Hurkacz sent him packing with a 6-4, 6-3 defeat in just 87 minutes. Particularly surprising because Djokovic had won the Shanghai Masters four times and had never exited the tournament before the quarter-finals. Yet, just three days after lifting the title in Beijing, the Serb found himself facing a very different reality. The setback has now made his path to the ATP Finals even trickier, with Alex de Minaur moving ahead of him in the Race to Turin standings.
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Álex de Miñaur’s round-of-16 win over Karen Khachanov has pushed the Australian ahead of Novak Djokovic in the live Race to Turin standings, the yearly ranking system that determines the eight qualifiers for the ATP Finals. De Miñaur currently sits ninth. With Jannik Sinner withdrawing from the ATP Finals because of a knee injury, ninth place in the Race to Turin could now be enough to secure qualification. Meanwhile, Djokovic has slipped to 10th, with Rafael Jodar and Taylor Fritz chasing him.
Forty points separate De Minaur and Djokovic, while Jodar and Fritz need 271 and 350, respectively, to catch up to ninth place. And the gap could widen further, with De Minaur set to face Alexander Zverev in the Shanghai quarter-finals. Jodar, too, is waiting for his fourth-round match; though Fritz lost in the third round against Stefanos Tsitsipas. So, the one Djokovic has to chase, and the one chasing him — both have ground to cover in Shanghai, while the Serb would not get his chance before Paris.
Djokovic’s Shanghai defeat came after a landmark week in Beijing, where he secured his seventh China Open crown to extend his own record. That triumph proved crucial to keeping his ATP Finals hopes alive.
The Serb had endured a difficult August, bowing out in the opening rounds at both Cincinnati and the US Open, but responded with a resurgent campaign in Beijing to capture the 102nd tour-level title of his career. The Serb’s run saw him overcoming Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev and Alex de Minaur, who retired due to an adductor injury. And so he jumped six places to ninth in the Live Race.
“It has been a challenging year,” Djokovic admitted after the win in Beijing. “Many times, I have questioned whether I want to keep on playing and feeling this way on the court. But this week has proven me wrong once again and giving me a great boost for the rest of the season.”
But Shanghai brought a setback that carries consequences beyond the early exit. Djokovic was honest about why it happened.
“I wasn’t close to what I was playing in Beijing,” he told reporters. “I’m slightly more tired, not fresh. Hubi was serving very big and I didn’t feel myself on the court. It’s super quick surface, completely different from Beijing.”
The Serb has also made no secret of his desire to return to the ATP Finals this season after missing the event in 2024 and 2025. Despite qualifying for both editions, Djokovic withdrew from the 2024 and 2025 ATP Finals because of injuries, citing an ongoing injury in 2024 and a persistent shoulder problem in 2025.
“I would like to play the Nitto ATP Finals. I am planning on only playing in Paris, so let’s see,” he said. “Hopefully I can have a good result there.”
The Paris Masters, scheduled for November 2–8, is the final regular-tour tournament before the ATP Finals. The indoor Masters 1000 event offers the champion 1,000 ATP ranking points, which also count toward the current season’s Race to Turin. Djokovic has won the Paris Masters a record seven times, most recently in 2023.
The danger, however, works both ways. An early exit in Paris, combined with strong runs from de Minaur, Jodar or Fritz, could leave Djokovic fighting to hold on to a qualifying position as the season draws to a close.
Djokovic’s 2026 campaign has been far from straightforward, with injuries disrupting his progress. The Serb has recorded 19 wins against eight defeats so far, translating to a win rate of around 70%, his lowest season percentage since 2006. There have still been notable highs, including a final appearance at the Australian Open, a semi-final run at Wimbledon and his 102nd career title in Beijing. However, a string of unexpected losses at major tournaments has complicated his season.
On top of that, he has been battling physical struggles. During the China Open, in his opening-round match against Nuno Borges, he called for his first medical timeout of the tournament, receiving treatment for his right shoulder. His win over Bu Yunchaokete required a medical timeout during the second set as well.
So for now, Djokovic’s priority will be to recover from a gruelling Asian swing and get himself back to fitness.