Novak Djokovic scored his first win at the Shanghai Masters since 2019, making a winning return to one of his favorite tournaments. The four-time champion faced the young American Alex Michelsen in the second round and prevailed 7-6, 7-6 in an hour and 55 minutes.
The young gun fought well against the legend, opening a 4-1 advantage in the first set and overcoming a 4-1 deficit in the second. Michelsen had two set points in the second set tie break, missing them and allowing Djokovic to seal the deal without playing a decider.
Novak played better behind the first and second serve, defending three of five break points and producing two successful return games from seven opportunities. They hit the same number of service winners, and the Serb had the upper hand from the baseline.
Djokovic landed 34 winners and 23 unforced errors, while Michelsen added 30 direct points and 19 mistakes, giving everything but falling in straight sets after missing his chances.
The younger player had a slight edge in the shortest rallies up to four strokes, and the veteran imposed his strokes in the mid-range and most advanced ones.
Alex held at 15 in the first game of the encounter and drew Novak's mistake in the next one for two break chances. The four-time champion hit a double fault on the second, suffering an early break and falling behind. The American fired a booming serve in the third game, holding at 15 and building a 3-0 advantage in swift eight minutes.
The crowd favorite painted a backhand winner in the fourth game, holding at love and reducing the deficit. Djokovic cracked a backhand down the line stroke in the fifth game, generating a break chance. Michelsel denied it with a crafty winner and closed the game with a booming serve down the T line, producing another hold and forging a 4-1 lead.
World no. 4 clinched the sixth game at love with a forehand winner and made a push on the return in the next one.
Novak Djokovic prevailed over Alex Michelsen in Shanghai.
The Serb forced the American's mistake for two break chances and converted the second with a forehand drive-volley winner, reducing the deficit to 4-3. The 40-time Masters 1000 winner held at 15 in the eighth game before the young gun ended his downfall and produced a fine hold in the next one for 5-4.
Djokovic served to stay in the set in game ten and delivered a comfortable hold to extend the battle and add more drama. Alex grabbed the 11th game with a forehand crosscourt winner and wished for one last push on the return.
Instead, Novak held at love with an unreturned serve, introducing a tie break after 40 minutes. The Serb took the third point after the rival's backhand error and painted a running forehand winner in the next one for a mini-break and a 3-1 advantage.
The American pulled the mini-break back in the sixth point before missing a backhand two points later, finding himself 5-3 behind.
Djokovic drew the rival's forehand mistake for another mini-break, generating three set points and seizing the first with a backhand down the line winner for 7-6 after 47 minutes.
The four-time champion fired a service winner in the first game of the second set, and the young gun followed that pace in game two for 1-1. Alex extended the third game with a forehand down the line winner before Novak brought it home with a powerful serve, moving 2-1 in front.
Djokovic stepped in on the return in the fourth game, earning a break chance and converting it after drawing Michelsen's mistake, building a 3-1 advantage and moving closer to the finish line. The 24-time Major winner took charge and closed the fifth game with another unreturned serve, forging a 4-1 lead and marching toward the win.
Losing ground in those moments, Alex faced two break points in the sixth game and defended them with a lucky net cord winner and a service winner, holding and remaining within one break deficit.
The American created three break points in the seventh game and welcomed the Serb's volley error on the third, pulling the break back and reducing the deficit.
The young gun held in game eight with a forehand winner at the net, locking the result at 4-4 and extending the drama. Novak held at love in game nine with an ace and produced another fine hold at 5-5 with a backhand drive-volley winner.
Michelsen served to stay in the match for the second time at 5-6 and held at love, introducing another tie break. Djokovic grabbed a mini-break in the second point and played an incredible point at 2-2. The Serb led 5-3 before losing the following two points, keeping the American in contention.
Alex saved a match point at 5-6 with a forced error and another at 6-7 with a well-constructed attack and a backhand drive-volley winner. Novak denied two set points at 7-8 and 8-9, the second with a deep return, and created the third match point after the rival's loose forehand. The Serb seized it with a service winner, moving over the top and avoiding a decider.
