Novak Djokovic experienced a sudden exit at the Shanghai Masters, falling in straight sets to Hubert Hurkacz in the second round. The defeat came just 72 hours after the veteran champion secured a tournament victory at the China Open in Beijing.

Entering the Shanghai draw as the tenth seed, the 39-year-old had earned an opening-round bye. However, the heavy workload caught up with the world-renowned competitor, marking his sixth appearance on the court within a span of ten days.

Hurkacz, a former champion in Shanghai currently holding the 34th position in the global rankings, capitalized on his opponent's fatigue. The Polish competitor secured a 6-4, 6-3 triumph in an encounter lasting one hour and 27 minutes.

The outcome broke a long-standing pattern between the two players, as Hurkacz claimed his inaugural win against the 24-time major champion after eight previous defeats. Following the match, the winner acknowledged the magnitude of facing such a celebrated rival so soon after a grueling championship run in Beijing.

Just days earlier in the Chinese capital, the seasoned star had snapped an eleven-month title drought to capture the 102nd trophy of his professional journey. That success extended a remarkable streak of winning at least one tour-level singles crown for twenty-one consecutive years.

Despite the recent momentum, the demanding stretch of matches proved too challenging in Shanghai. A single service break in each set proved sufficient for Hurkacz to seal the outcome, ending the tournament aspirations of the tournament's tenth seed prematurely.

The early departure impacts the veteran's pursuit of a spot at the prestigious year-end ATP Finals. Currently sitting outside the qualification threshold in ninth place for the Turin event, he will likely need a deep run at the upcoming Paris Masters in November to secure his berth among the elite eight.

In other action at the Shanghai tournament, British competitor Arthur Fery bowed out following a marathon encounter against Karen Khachanov. The hard-fought battle required three tiebreaks and lasted three and a half hours, with the former top-ten player ultimately prevailing by a narrow margin.

Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC Sport. Read the original report at BBC Sport.