Novak Djokovic’s problems came to an explosive head at the Shanghai Masters and the Serb now faces being knocked off world No1 if he cannot find a quick solution. Djokovic arrived in Shanghai insisting mental equanimity, rather than titles, was his goal after a rough patch of form prompted a bout of soul-searching. The man who has dominated tennis for the past two years even resorted to humming a song in a bid to keep calm as he was taken to three sets by qualifier Mischa Zverev. But his cool-headedness evaporated in a stormy semifinal upset against Roberto Bautista Agut when he smashed his racquet, ripped his shirt and raged at the chair umpire. "It’s not yet over. There are a couple of big tournaments still along the way: Paris and London," Djokovic warned. "I’ll try to get ready for the indoor season where I always, in the last couple of years, played pretty well. I’ll try to get better." Recent months have not been kind to Djokovic, who has suddenly and mystifyingly lost his way...

Subscribe now to unlock this article.

Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).

There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.

Cancel anytime.

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.