Novak Djokovic made a winning start at the Shanghai Masters, ousting Marin Cilic 7-6, 6-4 in an hour and 54 minutes. It was the 22nd meeting between two great friends, and the Serb's 20th triumph.
Novak and Marin wrote Masters 1000 history, embracing the duel at 38 and 37 respectively and forging the oldest match at this level of competition. After the match, Djokovic joked with Cilic and called them old.
It was the first match for the Serb since the US Open semi-final loss to Carlos Alcaraz. He defended four break points in the pivotal moments and seized one break opportunity in the second set.
Marin played well and landed 28 winners and 24 unforced errors. However, he missed his chances and trailed when it mattered the most to hit the exit door.
Djokovic landed 21 winners and 15 unforced errors. He had the upper hand in service winners and from the baseline, cracking a couple of stunning winners and starting the title chase.
The Serb survived a deuce in the third game of the match, and they served well in the next seven games to lock the result at 5-5. Cilic stepped in on the return in game 11 and created two break points.
He missed them and allowed Novak to close the game and remain on the positive side. The set went into a tie break, and the Serb lost the opening point on serve after the rival's winner.
However, they traded three mini-breaks in the next four points, with Djokovic leading 3-2. The four-time champion claimed two more points on the return for a 5-2 lead and landed a service winner for four set points.
He converted the first for 7-6 in 67 minutes. Novak secured the only break at 1-1 in the second set when Marin sprayed a forehand mistake. The older player cemented the break with an ace in game four that sent him 3-1 in front.
They served well in the upcoming games, with the Serb landing a forehand winner in game eight for 5-3. Djokovic served for the win at 5-4 and offered his rival two break chances.
Marin sprayed them with errors before Novak seized a match point with a booming serve, emerging at the top in the oldest encounter in Masters 1000 history.
