How Djokovic reacted to seeing Federer in the stands for Shanghai final

Novak Djokovic missed the chance to inch closer to 100 career titles as Jannik Sinner defeated him 7-6(4), 6-3 in the Rolex Shanghai Masters final. However, the spotlight wasn’t only on the action on the court — Roger Federer’s presence in the stands added a unique touch to the occasion.

Federer, a two-time Shanghai champion (2014 & 2017), was among the crowd watching Sinner, the world’s No. 1 player, delay Djokovic’s attempt to move closer to joining the Swiss legend and Jimmy Connors as the only men with 100 or more ATP titles.

Djokovic couldn’t help but acknowledge Federer’s presence during the post-match ceremony. “It’s nice to see Roger — I’m not used to seeing you in the stands,” Djokovic said with a smile. “I wish you were still on the court playing with us. It’s probably the first time I’ve played in front of you, and it gave me a bit of extra pressure today.”

Sinner continued his impressive season with his victory over the four-time Shanghai champion, improving his record against Top-5 players on hard courts to 8-2. His only recent losses came against Carlos Alcaraz, including in Indian Wells and Beijing.

The match also levelled the Lexus ATP Head2Head series between Sinner and Djokovic at 4-4. In a thrilling 2024 campaign, Sinner has now claimed a Tour-leading seven titles.

Alcaraz and his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, were also present at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, witnessing Sinner’s latest triumph. The young Italian’s dominance on the hard courts and his victory over Djokovic highlighted the ongoing shift in men’s tennis as a new generation rises to challenge legends like Djokovic.