"Something I don't think I've done in a long time" - Novak Djokovic on 'embracing the fashion' with fun street photoshoot amid Shanghai Masters run

Novak Djokovic recently talked about the fun street photoshoot he took part in during his 2024 Shanghai Masters campaign. The Serb engaged in the photoshoot following a win in his opening match at the ATP 1000 hard court tournament.

After a five-year hiatus, Djokovic returned to Shanghai, where his last appearance was in the quarterfinal against Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2019. This year, the former World No.1 is seeded fourth in the tournament and began his campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. In his opening match, the 24-time Grand Slam champion defeated Alex Michelsen 7-6(3), 7-6(9).

Following his win, the Serb took to social media to share a series of photos from a street photoshoot he did in China. The images featured him standing amidst bustling streets, standing in front of local eateries, and among the pedestrians and much more

"Apparently this sign means “hot pot” so I had to pose in front of it 😆 🍲 ," Djokovic captioned the Instagram post.

After his win over Michelsen, Novak Djokovic triumphed over 28th seed Flavio Cobolli with a score of 6-1, 6-2 in just over three hours to advance to the fourth round of the Shanghai Masters.

During the post-match press conference, the Serb was asked for his comments on the photo shoot. In response, he said that it was staged very well and also talked about the efficient planning and execution of the photo shoot that allowed him to remain incognito among the public.

"It was staged very well. Some of the photos were done on the actual street, on the crosswalk. Some photos were done next to the certain cafes, restaurants. But it was done pretty quickly because the longer we were there, the more people would start recognizing, and it would be becoming a little bit challenging," Djokovic said.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion expressed that it was a "fun" and refreshing experience, mentioning that he was enjoying making such content, which was different from what he'd done so far.

"It was fun. It was something I don't think I've done in a very long time. It was during the holidays in China, a lot of people, so it was quite exciting. I'm enjoying myself doing these kind of photo shoots and contents that are a little bit different from what I've done throughout my career. Kind of embracing the fashion and these off-court activities that really bring good and joyful emotions to me and the good vibes," he added.

Talking about China's rich history, tradition, and culture, and revealing how he and his team tried adding a 'modern touch' to them, the Serb added:

"China has incredible history and tradition and culture, so we try to combine that with kind of a modern touch, I hope people like it. It was fun because, we didn't know at the time, but one of the photos was done in front of the sign that actually meant hot pot," he said.

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Novak Djokovic will face Roman Safiullin in Shanghai Masters 2024 4R

Novak Djokovic pictured at an exhibition match [Source: Getty]

Novak Djokovic will go head-to-head with Roman Safiullin in the fourth round of the 2024 Shanghai Masters.

Safiullin began his campaign at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament by defeating qualifier Beibit Zhukayev 7-6(0), 6-4 in the first round. He then went on to defeat 23rd seed Alexander Bublik and 13th seed Frances Tiafoe in the second and third rounds, respectively.

Novak Djokovic and Roman Safiullin have met twice on the ATP tour, with the former emerging victorious in both encounters. Their most recent clash took place in the second round of the 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters, where the Serb secured a comfortable 6-1, 6-2 win.