Novak Djokovic was eliminated in the second round of the Shanghai tournament

Novak Djokovic was eliminated on Friday in the second round of the Shanghai Masters 1000 tournament after being defeated by Poland's Hubert Hurkacz, 6-4, 6-3. The defeat came just three days after the Serbian had won the 102nd title of his career in Beijing.

Djokovic, the holder of 24 Grand Slam titles, was trying to earn important points in the race to qualify for the ATP Finals in Turin, scheduled to take place between November 15 and 22. For the first time after a period in which he carefully selected his tournaments, the Serbian competed in consecutive events.

Hurkacz, however, had enjoyed a solid recent run. The Pole reached the final of the ATP 250 tournament in Chengdu in September and played in the semifinals of the ATP 500 event in Beijing, where he withdrew because of an injury to his left thigh.

At 39, Djokovic is seeking to improve his chances of winning his 25th Grand Slam title, an achievement that would represent a record. His run in Shanghai nevertheless ended earlier than he had hoped, against an opponent who capitalized on his good form and the Serbian's difficulties.

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