Can Novak Djokovic win his first ATP title of the season at the Shanghai Masters: What the bookies have to say?
Former World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will be in action in the 2024 Shanghai Masters this week. The Serb will make his first appearance on tour since a shocking third-round exit in the US Open last month.
Djokovic will be the fourth seed in Shanghai and will mark his 10th appearance this year. He's chalked up 34 wins from 39 matches in the Qizhong Tennis Center, including title-winning runs in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2018. The veteran has at least reached the quarterfinals in all of his appearances so far.
However, Djokovic has not been in clinical form this year. He managed to clinch an invaluable Gold Medal in the Summer Olympics, but apart from his outstanding run in Paris, he's struggled to make inroads on tours.
Djokovic has garnered 32 wins from 40 matches this year, including a runner-up finish in the Wimbledon Championships. He also reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, Geneva Open and the Monte-Carlo Masters, where he lost to Casper Ruud in three sets.
The 37-year-old captured seven titles last year and started this season as the No. 1 ranked player in the world. Considering his seven titles last year, including three Grand Slams on tour, he has not been able to make a significant impact in 2024.
Djokovic is also 2000 points away from securing his place in the upcoming ATP Finals. He is the defending champion at the event but is currently on the brink of losing his spot to near-rivals Alex De Minaur and Grigor Dimitrov. If he manages to churn out good results, he could move up the ladder and strengthen his grip in the race to Turin.
Let's take a look at his chances of making a deep run in the Shanghai Masters.
What do bookies say about Novak Djokovic's chances this year?
As per the bookmakers, Djokovic is the third favorite to win the Shanghai Masters behind Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. A $100 wager on him will fetch $375 plus the initial investment.
The Serb has been handed a favorable draw at the event with neither Jannik Sinner nor Carlos Alcaraz present in his half. He will face competition from the likes of Andrey Rublev, Alexander Zverev or Taylor Fritz, en route to the finals.
Djokovic leads the head-to-head against Zverev 8-4 and is unbeaten in his last nine matches against Fritz. He also dominates the personal record against Rublev, 5-1.
The veteran will begin his campaign against Alex Michelson, whom he has never faced, in the second round. If he manages to win his opener, Fabio Cobolli could be his most likely opponent in the third. While the top 10 seeds are expected to face him in the second week, a tricky opponent could be waiting in the wings in the last 16.
Frances Taifoe showcased his potential with a semifinal run in the US Open and seems to be playing at a high level on tour. Djokovic has had his number on both occasions they faced each other, but considering their current form, Tiafoe will fancy his chances of conquering the Serb.
Another in-form player, in his way, will be the ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinals. The Bulgarian has a brilliant record on hardcourts this year and will be expected to provide stiff competition to the four-time Shanghai Masters champion.
As mentioned earlier, Fritz or Zverev could be Djokovic's most likely opponents in the semifinals and Alcaraz or Sinner could be poised to meet him in the finals. While the first few rounds could be manageable for the Serb, overcoming Alcaraz or Sinner will be an uphill task.
The bookies have labeled Alcaraz as the top favorite after his title-winning run in the China Open and Sinner a close second on the list for securing a runner-up finish in Beijing. A $100 wager on Carlos Alcaraz will fetch $200, whereas a $100 bet on Jannik Sinner will yield $333 if he wins the Shanghai Masters.
Novak Djokovic will make his first appearance in the Shanghai Masters after five years
Novak Djokovic was last seen competing in the Shanghai Masters in 2019. He will enter the event after almost five years on Saturday (5 October).
The Serb reached the quarterfinals last year, where he lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in three sets. Despite winning the opener, the Greek rallied back to win the contest, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Djokovic is also not among the top two seeds for the first time in Shanghai. He is still among the favorites for a deep run. The 37-year-old will face Alex Michelsen in the evening session on Saturday.