Can Novak Djokovic or Daniil Medvedev inherit the legacy of Shanghai’s No. 1 ATP club? | ATP Tour
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Can Djokovic or Medvedev inherit the legacy of Shanghai’s No. 1 ATP club?
5 of 29 ATP Ranked Club Members Win at ATP Masters 1000 Events
October 9, 2025
Zhang Lintao/Getty Images
Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev both made great strides this week in Shanghai.
Jerome Coombe
Since its inception in 2009, the Rolex Shanghai Masters has been one of the most prestigious events on the ATP Masters 1000 schedule.
It has continued to attract the biggest names in gaming over the years and has produced some of the most memorable battles. Of the 29 players ranked No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, five won in Shanghai: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner.
Two of the fivesome are in deep contention at this year’s event: Medvedev will face Alex De Minaur in Friday’s quarterfinals, while Djokovic will face a surprise encounter with world No. 204 Valentin Vaccello in Saturday’s semifinals.
As the 2025 tournament comes to a close, ATPTour.com celebrates the first player to lift the trophy in Shanghai.
Murray’s triple spark
Murray won back-to-back titles in 2010-11, using Shanghai as his playground before returning in 2016 for one of the most important wins of his career.
Murray arrives in Shanghai ranked No. 2 in the world and has already won titles in Rome, Queen’s Club, Wimbledon and Beijing. But the Englishman didn’t stop there: he stormed the court without dropping a set, completed his hat-trick in Shanghai, then extended his winning streak to 24 matches and received his only year-end ATP No. 1 ranking from the PIF.
Djokovic breaks through and sets record for trophy wins in 2012
In 2012, Djokovic memorably rejected Murray’s chance to compete for a third consecutive title in Shanghai. After reaching the semifinals in the 2009-10 season, Djokovic returned to Shanghai two years later and faced off with Murray in the final.
After three hours and 21 minutes of battle, Djokovic came back from a set and a break of serve, saving five championship points on the way to claim his first title in Shanghai. With the victory, he also avenged his loss to Murray in the US Open final a month ago and took a 9-7 lead in the fast-growing Lexus ATP two-team showdown.
Djokovic successfully defended his title in 2013 and won two more trophies in 2015 and 2018, making him the most decorated champion in the tournament.
Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2025/09/27/14/58/djokovic-murray-shanghai-2012-final.jpg”>In the 2012 Shanghai final, Novak Djokovic defeated Andy Murray. Photo: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images.
Federer’s Shanghai Prestige
In 2014, Federer’s first title in Shanghai started with a great escape. In his opening match against Leonardo Mayer, the Swiss star saved five match points before surviving a tense third-set tie-break.
The outing ignited a fire in Federer, who dominated the rest of the draw – including top-seeded Djokovic in the semi-finals – to lift his first trophy in Shanghai.
“It feels incredibly prestigious to win this tournament. Especially having my hands on the trophy for the first time, I must say, it feels good,” Federer said. Three years later, Federer returned to Shanghai and won his second Shanghai title and his 27th ATP Masters 1000 title.
Roger Federer” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2025/09/27/14/59/federer-shanghai-2014-final.jpg”>Roger Federer in the 2014 Shanghai final. Photo: Zhong Zhi/Getty Images
Medvedev Master Class
Medvedev had hinted at his potential in Shanghai when he pushed Federer to three sets in 2018, but he didn’t fully deliver on that promise until the following year.
Medvedev returned in 2019 as world No. 4 and a completely different player, dominating the field with a near-perfect display of strength and consistency to win his first title in Shanghai. He capped off his victory by defeating two of his greatest rivals, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev, in consecutive semifinals and finals.
sinner’s statement
Sinner became the latest member of the ATP No. 1 club to shine in Shanghai, capturing last year’s title in a late-season surge. He dropped just one set in his championship match against record champion Djokovic.
However, with fearless execution and unwavering focus, Sinner defeated the Serbian 7-6(4), 6-3 and ended his perfect 4-0 winning streak in the Shanghai final. The win cemented his place at the top of the game and marked the Italian’s seventh win of the season.
