Novak Djokovic approached his lesser-known foe, the world No. 204, with a smile.
Despite just enduring one of the biggest shocks of his career—losing to Valentin Bachelot in the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters—the tennis legend felt it important to acknowledge his opponent’s achievement.
“You deserve it,” Djokovic expressed. “You played unbelievably. Keep going.”
Saturday’s match represented one of Djokovic’s most noteworthy upsets as he fell 3-6, 4-6 in straight sets.
The Serbian star had been dealing with illness throughout the tournament, and it seemed to affect him on Saturday.
In earlier matches, he had even vomited while coping with heat and tough conditions, as noted in a report.
During the match, Djokovic reportedly received medical attention, including a lengthy break at the start of the seventh game where he was seen lying on the court.
After the match, he chose not to dwell on his health issues.
“I’d like to congratulate Valentin on reaching his first Masters final,” he mentioned. “It’s a fantastic story, especially considering he had to qualify. I told him online that he had an excellent tournament, but more than that, his attitude and performance were commendable.”
“This is his moment. I wish him all the best in the final and may the best player win.”
Bachelot, aged 26, was in disbelief over defeating such a celebrated player.
He is set to face his cousin Arthur Rinderknech in the final, marking him as the lowest-ranked finalist in ATP Masters 1000 history.
“I’m trying to wrap my head around this. Is it real?” he said, expressing a whirlwind of emotions.
“Playing against Novak was an invaluable experience for me. I have so many feelings right now.”
