Novak Djokovic returned to action at the 2025 Rolex Shanghai Masters with a commanding win over Marin Cilic. The Serbian star secured a straight-sets victory, 7-6 (2), 6-4, in one hour and 55 minutes, advancing to the next round with a dominant display of precision and control.
Forehand Masterclass
Djokovic’s forehand was the standout feature of the match. He hit 56 forehands, successfully executed 53, and committed only 3 errors throughout the entire contest. This translates to a 95% success rate, underscoring his consistency and tactical sharpness. The forehand also earned a 9.4 shot quality rating, reflecting its effectiveness in both rally construction and point finishing.
Strategic Execution and Mental Focus
The match was Djokovic’s first since the US Open semifinals, and he showed no signs of rust. Navigating a tight first set, he edged out Cilic in the tiebreak before breaking early in the second. Despite facing two break points while serving for the match, Djokovic held firm and closed with an ace.
Head-to-Head Dominance
With this win, Djokovic extended his head-to-head record against Cilic to 20-2, including a perfect 9-0 on hard courts. His ability to neutralize Cilic’s powerful serve and dictate play from the baseline was evident throughout the match.
Looking Ahead
Djokovic’s next opponent will be German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann. With his forehand firing and rhythm restored, the four-time Shanghai champion looks poised for another deep run in the tournament. His performance against Cilic not only marked his 40th win in Shanghai, but also reinforced his status as one of the most technically complete players in the game.
ATP Shanghai - Novak Djokovic's projected path
Djokovic in Shanghai, ranking, and results in 2025
At the moment ranked no.5, the Serbian owns a compiled 32-10 record in 2025. Djokovic is participating in Shanghai where he ousted the world no.94 Marin Cilic 7-6(2) 6-4.
Novak Djokovic will fight against the world no.150 Yannick Hanfmann in the 3rd round. Their head to head is 1-0
for Djokovic.Djokovic has won 1 title in 2025 in Geneva. The Serbian reached the final in Miami (Miami Open).
Djokovic won 100 titles in his career: 52 on hard courts, 21 on clay courts, 19 on indoor courts and 8 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Marin Cilic in 2025
Currently the world no.94, Cilic played his last match on the 3rd of October when he surrendered to world no.5 Novak Djokovic 7-6(2) 6-4 in the 2nd round in Shanghai (draw).
During this season Marin owns a composed 23-17 match record. The Croatian has won 2 titles in 2025 in the Girona Challenger and the Nottingham 2 Challenger. The Croatian was the runner-up in the Madrid Challenger.
He is also scheduled to play in Stockholm (BNP Paribas Nordic Open) on the 13th of October and Basel (Swiss Indoors Basel) on the 20th of October.
Novak Djokovic and Marin Cilic faced off 22 times. Their record is 20-2 for Djokovic.