Novak Djokovic had a spectator he wasn't used to seeing in the stands at the 2024 Shanghai Masters, and he joked that it added to the pressure during his final match.
The Serbian player reached his fifth Shanghai Masters final this year, and for the first time in his career, he lost in the final of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Shanghai.
Jannik Sinner proved to be too strong, denying the 37-year-old Serbian his 100th career title. After the match, Djokovic downplayed the importance of winning his 100th title, but he was certainly disappointed with the loss.
Not because he would want to win the 100th title desperately, but because he's an incredible competitor, and as such, he wants to win every tennis match he plays, especially that with one of his greatest rivals in the stands.
A few legendary players watched the final in Shanghai: Carlos Alcaraz, who already earned legendary status according to some; his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, who is former World No. 1; and 20-time Grand Slam champion, Roger Federer.
When Djokovic and Federer were in the same arena in the past, the Serbian player usually emerged victorious, having won 27 out of their 50 matches. But this time, Djokovic lost, even though Federer wasn't on the court but in the stands.
During his post-match speech, the four-time Shanghai Masters champion joked that Federer's presence added to the pressure on the final day and that he would have wished to have him on the court instead of in the stands.
"It’s nice to see Roger, I’m not used to seeing you in the stands. I wish you were here on the court playing with us. It’s probably the first time I’m playing in front of you, so I had added pressure today. Thanks for being here!"
Finishing his stay in China, the Serbian player also spoke about the rest of the fans, not only the one special spectator he had competed against for nearly two decades.
Like most tennis players, Djokovic loves coming back to China. That's because of the fans, who show him a lot of love every day, to the point that it almost feels uncomfortable.
"I don't know what to say. It's hard to express the gratitude that I feel. At times it's almost like uncomfortable that they are coming every single day, and they show so much love and care and respect, it's unlike any other place in the world, for sure."
From having one of his rivals watching him in the stands, the 37-year-old might compete against his other rival in the coming days. Despite almost forgetting about it, Djokovic had to quickly move from Shanghai to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
"The plan is to go home, I mean, actually, Saudi, Six Kings Slam is happening next week, so I'm playing that, then I'll see where I play next."
The 24-time Grand Slam champion will compete at the 2024 Six Kings Slam, and along with Rafael Nadal, he has a BYE into the semi-final round, meaning that if they both win or lose their matches, they will meet even in the final or in the third-round match at the event.