What a match! Djokovic will debut in Shanghai against a former tournament champion

Novak Djokovic already has an opponent for his debut in the Masters 1000 in Shanghai. The Serbian, exempt from the first round due to his seeded status, will debut against Hubert Hurkacz, who this morning defeated James Duckworth (6-3, 7-6) in his first-round match. A debut that, on paper, is far from comfortable.

Hurkacz arrives as the world number 34 and with the credentials of being one of the most dangerous players when he manages to impose his serve and take matches to fast surfaces. The Pole knows perfectly what it means to win in Shanghai, as he was the tournament champion in 2023 when he defeated Andrey Rublev in a thrilling final. Therefore, Djokovic will not face just any player in his first match.

The H2H between Djokovic and Hurkacz, an 8-0 that weighs heavily

However, there is a stat that clearly plays in favor of the Serbian. Djokovic and Hurkacz have faced each other eight times on the ATP circuit and in all eight instances, the Balkan emerged victorious. The Pole has never managed to find the formula to defeat one of the major dominators of his career, although some of those encounters were very close to swinging in his favor.

The most recent memory also belongs to Djokovic, who prevailed at Wimbledon 2023 after a very challenging match. Hurkacz took that duel to the fifth set, although in the end, the Serbian managed to impose his experience and ability to survive in crucial moments. Now they will meet again in Shanghai, in a venue particularly significant for Djokovic. The Serbian knows what it is to win this tournament, having lifted the title in 2013, 2015, and 2018. He returns, therefore, to a court where he has always found good sensations.

Hurkacz will be the first test of his journey in this edition and, although the history invites optimism, the Pole has enough arguments to turn the debut into a demanding challenge. Eight matches, eight victories for Djokovic.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, ¡Vaya cuadro! Djokovic debutará en Shanghai contra un excampeón del torneo