Novak Djokovic sparks concerns with new health update before semi-final

Novak Djokovic is through to the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters, but it hasn’t been easy for the four-time former champion. Aged 38, Djokovic has struggled physically in almost every match. He’s thrown up on court a couple of times, collapsed to the ground after one excruciating rally to lose the second set of his fourth-round match, and been seen by the physio on a few occasions. But he’s still through to the last four.

It was a better day for the No. 4 seed on Thursday as he beat Zizou Bergs in straight sets, but it was still another tough battle for Djokovic, who has now sparked major concern by claiming that something was “happening with the body” in every match he played.

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Djokovic is just two wins away from lifting his first Masters 1000 title in almost two years and is arguably the favourite to be crowned the champion. He’s one of two former champions and one of two top-10 players left in the draw.

But he’s also the oldest man in the draw by some distance, and it has shown at times on the court. Djokovic received treatment for what appeared to be an Achilles injury in the fourth round on Tuesday.

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Although his leg felt fine in the quarters, he admitted he was facing plenty of “issues” virtually every day.

After beating Bergs 6-3 7-5, the Serbian superstar said: “I assure you it wasn't easy. No win is easy at this level. Zizou Bergs has been playing some terrific tennis this tournament. I think it would be disrespectful towards him to say it was easy. It was a tough-earned victory in two sets.

“My leg was good. There's always something happening with the body pretty much every match that I play right now. There's some other issues that I'm trying to address day by day, and hopefully it's going to get better as the tournament progresses.

“I have a day off to my semi-final, so that's really good. Yeah, I'm going to come back with, of course, the right attitude and intention to win.”

Djokovic already knows who he will face in Saturday’s semi-final, world No. 204 Valentin Vacherot, who came through qualifying to reach the main draw. He’s now through to his maiden Masters 1000 semi-final, and is already guaranteed to crack the top-100.

Vecherot and his brother, Benjamin Balleret, who is also his coach, both hail from Monaco. As a previous resident of Monte Carlo, Djokovic knows both of them well.

“I've known him for last couple of years. Obviously he's ranked before this tournament 200-plus,” the 24-time Major winner explained.

“He's been around. He's playing for Monaco, which is a really great success, the biggest historical success for Monaco. It's amazing. So everyone is excited there. We know we have one of the nicest and biggest tournaments in our sport there in Monaco.

“So I'm glad for him, for his team. Benjamin Balleret is someone I've known for many years from Monaco, because being based there for 15 years, training at the Monte-Carlo Country Club.

“He's been improving a lot. We always knew that he's got a great potential, with a big serve, a big game, he's a big guy.”

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