Djokovic suffers early Shanghai Masters exit

Novak Djokovic went down in straight sets to Hubert Hurkacz on Friday, exiting the Shanghai Masters in his first match after memorably winning the China Open this week. Hurkacz, the 2023 Shanghai champion and world number 34, beat Djokovic 6-4, 6-3 in the second round as the 39-year-old faltered against his big-serving opponent a decade his junior. The former world number one turned in a disappointing performance just three days after claiming the 102nd professional title of his career in Beijing, where he has never lost a match. It was Hurkacz's first victory against the Serbian veteran in nine meetings, and he sent down 13 aces across the one-hour-and-28-minute encounter. Djokovic, who has struggled with fitness in recent months, hunched over and squatted down between points on a cool Shanghai evening while his opponent sprinted across the court. Djokovic double-faulted in the fourth game of the second set to give Hurkacz a 3-1 lead, and the Pole held serve through his win. (AFP) Edited by Aaron Tam