Novak Djokovic is the most decorated player in the Shanghai Masters history, claiming four titles between 2012 and 2018. However, the Serb could not solve the Roger Federer riddle at the penultimate Masters 1000 event of the season, losing both matches to the Swiss Maestro in 2010 and 2014.
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The first duel was tight, and the more experienced player took charge in the second, presenting his aggressive approach and leaving a great rival behind. Novak and Roger met in the 2010 Shanghai semi-final, embracing their 17th encounter on the Tour.
The Serb ousted the Swiss a month earlier at the US Open in a thriller, and Federer served revenge in China after a 7-5, 6-4 triumph in an hour and 42 minutes. Thus, Roger beat Novak for the 11th time and moved to his 29th Masters 1000 final.
The more aggressive player took ten points more, taming his strokes nicely and keeping his composure in the pivotal moments. Djokovic had his chances after creating five break points.
He converted one and suffered three breaks, ending his campaign in the semi-final for the second straight year.
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Roger had more winners, and Novak erased the deficit with almost 30 forced mistakes. However, the younger player sprayed too many unforced errors, hitting the exit door despite a solid effort. Interestingly, Djokovic followed Federer's pace in the shortest rallies up to four strokes.
Roger took charge of the more advanced ones, constructing the exchanges nicely and emerging at the top. The Serb closed the opening game of the match after a deuce, and the Swiss responded with a forehand winner in game two for 1-1.
The following two games produced drama, as Novak endured three deuces in the third game and made a push on the return in the next one. Federer played against four break points, defending two with direct points and two after the rival's mistakes and holding for 2-2.
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The servers dropped six points in the next five games, and Djokovic cracked a backhand winner for a 5-4 advantage.
Roger Federer defeated Novak Djokovic two times at the Shanghai Masters.
Roger closed the tenth game after a deuce for more drama and stepped in on the return in the next one, creating his first break opportunities.
The Serb netted a backhand on the second, dropping serve and sending his rival in front. The Swiss served for the opener at 6-5 and landed three winners, wrapping up the first part of the duel 7-5 with an ace after 63 minutes.
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Federer used the momentum and landed a volley winner in the first game of the second set for a break point. He seized it after Djokovic's forehand error, opening a set and a break lead and moving closer to the finish line. Roger cemented the advantage with four winners in the second game and held at 15 two games later with an unreturned serve for a 3-1 advantage.
Novak struggled on serve again in the fifth game, wasting a game point and getting broken after the rival's smash error, falling 4-1 behind and closer to the exit door. Federer missed a backhand in the sixth game, dropping serve for the only time against Djokovic in their two Shanghai encounters.
However, the Swiss recovered instantly and hit three winners in the eighth game for a 5-3 lead. Novak held in the ninth game to extend the battle before Roger fired three winners in the next one, reaching the final on his Shanghai Masters debut.
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Two rivals arranged another semi-final duel for years later. Federer passed a massive obstacle in the second round, defending five match points versus Leonardo Mayer and defeating two more rivals to embrace his 36th clash against Djokovic.
The Swiss delivered his 19th victory, dethroning the two-time champion 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and 36 minutes. Novak had outplayed Roger five times in the previous seven duels ahead of Shanghai. The Serb could not extend that streak, creating only one break chance and losing serve once in each set from ten chances offered to his rival, ending his Shanghai Masters streak.
They stayed neck and neck in the quickest and most advanced rallies. Still, Federer had the upper hand in the mod-range exchanges with five to eight shots.
Like four years ago, they produced equal numbers in the departments of winners and forced errors.
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Novak again sprayed too many unforced errors, which plagued his chances. The defending champion closed the first game of the match with a forehand winner, reached a deuce on the return in the next one and cracked a backhand winner at 1-1 for another comfortable hold.
Roger grabbed the fourth game with a volley winner and stepped in on the return at 2-2. Federer welcomed three unforced errors from his opponent and drew Djokovic's mistake for a break and the advantage. Novak could have pulled the break back in the sixth game, landing a backhand crosscourt winner for a break chance.
The Swiss saved it with a forehand winner and held for a 4-2 lead with a service winner. The Serb grabbed the seventh game with a service winner but stood no chance on the return in the next one after four powerful serves from his opponent.
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Djokovic extended the battle with a hold at 30 in the ninth game before Federer wrapped up the opener with a powerful serve in the next one, moving 6-4 in front after 38 minutes.
Like four years ago, Novak lost serve at the beginning of the second set after Roger's forehand winner, with the older player building a set and a break advantage. The Swiss cemented the break with a service winner, rattling off three straight games.
They served well in the next two games, and Djokovic faced more issues at 1-3. He played against four break points, defending three with winners and holding to remain within one break deficit. Federer lost those chances behind and grabbed the sixth game with a service winner, controlling the scoreboard and moving closer to the finish line.
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Novak survived two deuces in the seventh game and made the final push on the return in the next one. Roger overcame five deuces, keeping his rival away from break chances and delivering a pivotal hold with an unreturned serve.
Djokovic played against two match points at 3-5, denying them with winners and extending the battle with a service winner. Federer served for the win in game ten and sealed the deal with a backhand volley winner, booking the title clash against Gilles Simon.
