"Not too bad for an old guy" - Novak Djokovic beams with joy as he reaches Shanghai Masters 2024 final against Jannik Sinner

Novak Djokovic jokingly referred to himself as an "old guy" after qualifying for the final of the 2024 Shanghai Masters. The Serb is in pursuit of a record-extending fifth Shanghai Masters title.

On Saturday, the former World No. 1 defeated Taylor Fritz 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) in the semifinals to set up a title clash against Jannik Sinner. This marked the tenth meeting between Djokovic and Fritz on tour, with the American still seeking his first victory over the Serb.

After his one-hour and 56-minute match against Fritz, Djokovic shared his excitement about reaching the final on X (formerly Twitter). He shared a photo of himself on the court, hands raised and fingers forming a heart shape, with a caption saying "Shanghai has his heart." The Serb also jokingly remarked that qualifying for the final wasn't too bad for someone his age.

“Shanghai, you have my heart. Not too bad for an old guy. Bring on the final," Djokovic wrote.

The Serb, who experienced discomfort in his left knee during his quarterfinal against Jakub Mensik, faced another injury scare while competing against Fritz on Saturday. In the post-match press conference, he said:

“It always takes it out of me, these kinds of battles, but particularly towards the end of the tournament, At this stage of my career, I’m doing my best to recover and I had some issues here and there on the court, physically, yesterday and today. But I managed to overcome it.”

He also praised Fritz for his gameplay and form on hard courts and referred to his performance at the 2024 US Open.

“It was a stern test. Taylor is in form, playing probably the best tennis of his life coming off a Grand Slam final, and he’s playing really well, particularly on this surface," the Serb added.

Novak Djokovic admitted it would take his highest level to defeat Jannik Sinner in the final of the Shanghai Masters

Djokovic will face Jannik Sinner in the final of the Shanghai Masters (Image Source: Getty)

Ahead of the final of the 2024 Shanghai Masters, Novak Djokovic shared that he would need to be at his best to defeat Jannik Sinner on Sunday. The Serb praised Sinner's form over the past year, noting that they both understood each other's game well.

“He’s in form the past 12 months, best player in the world, incredible tennis, just so consistent, and [the] player to beat, no doubt, particularly on hard court, He knows my game, I know his game. We haven't played since Australia this year. Yeah, I'm hoping for the best. It's going to take my highest level to win," the Serb said.

This will be the eighth time Djokovic and Sinner are facing off on the ATP tour, with the former World No.1 leading the head-to-head 4-3.