Still a force

Although coming to compete in Shanghai for an 11th time was a lastminute decision, Djokovic proved his resilience, his craft and ever-competitive spirit in the sport where he's set new benchmarks in longevity, and still pursues a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam singles trophy.

His strong run in Shanghai at the end of a long season suggests that, at least in the year to come, Djokovic will remain a force to be reckoned with at the top of the men's tour, where the super duo of Spain's world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz and Italy's No 2 Jannik Sinner jointly reign supreme.

The two young superstars have met in the last three Slam finals, with the Spaniard bagging titles at Roland Garros and the US Open, and the Italian capturing Wimbledon. Sinner also retained his Australian Open title in January.

Overall, they have accounted for the last eight Grand Slam titles.

Djokovic, regardless of how marginal his chances now seem to be in trying to jostle with the two and wrest a major title from either, said he still finds motivation to keep playing, mainly for the fans, particularly those in China.

"Honestly, not just because we are here, but walking out here in China, the center court, for me, every single match really gives me incredible emotions and sensations, because of so much support that I've been getting," Djokovic said following his quarterfinal win over Belgian ace Zizou Bergs on Thursday.

"I did not expect that, that much. I know that people appreciate and respect the achievements I've had in the last 20-plus years, but it's been better and better every single year (I come to China).

"I've been trying to return the love with some good tennis, and, hopefully, they have been enjoying it," said Djokovic, who has also won the ATP 500 China Open in Beijing a tournament-record six times.