SHANGHAI — Novak Djokovic won the Shanghai Masters with relative ease on Thursday, defeating unseeded Zizou Bergs 6-3, 7-5 on Thursday to advance to the semifinals and face Monaco’s Valentin Bachelot, the qualifier and No. 204 in the rankings.
The 38-year-old Djokovic has struggled with Shanghai’s hot and humid conditions, vomiting during previous matches and requiring medical attention after collapsing to the ground from exhaustion after losing the third set to Jaume Munar in the previous round.
The only big break against Bergs was when he led 5-4 in the second set and was eventually broken before converting his third match point.
“The match should have ended 5-4,” Djokovic said. “These days have been very tough for all players and all I was thinking about was staying alive on the court. I’m glad I was able to overcome this hurdle.”
This was the first meeting between Djokovic and Bergs.
“Hey, I gotta stop worshiping you,” Bergs said with a smile before the 26-year-old Belgian hugged Djokovic at the net.
Bachelot defeated No. 10 seed Holger Ruhn 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4 to become the second lowest-ranked semi-finalist in the last 35 years of the Masters 1000 tournament, according to ATP.
“It’s unbelievable,” Bashro said in an on-court interview. “I didn’t qualify, I competed as an alternate. I didn’t even know if I would qualify.”
Bashro clinched the victory when Luhn returned his serve, but ended up kneeling on the baseline with his hands over his face. Rune struggled with mobility in the third set due to leg cramps.
