Novak Djokovic vs Zizou Bergs Tips, Prediction & Live Stream - Djokovic to advance into Shanghai semis

Djokovic has struggled all tournament with illness and a niggling ankle injury, but he will not even consider withdrawing as this could be his best remaining chance to claim another Masters 1000 title, with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz both out of the draw, along with the likes of Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz. The Serbian likely won't play the ATP Finals, so he can leave everything out on the Shanghai centre court in a bid to return to the champions corner.

Incredibly, this will be Djokovic's 97th Masters 1000 quarter-final - he holds a 76-16 win-loss record, while he's won nine of his 10 previous Shanghai quarter-final matches. By contrast, this will be Bergs' first ever Masters 1000 quarter-final, with the Belgian continuing a career-best season and set to rise into the world's top 40 for the first time after this tournament. Bergs is a very talented ball-striker, but he can struggle with his consistency and he's rarely won this many matches in a row in a high-profile tournament. I'm backing Djokovic to brush his physical problems aside and subdue Bergs in a straight sets victory.

This will be the first career meeting between the pair.

Djokovic has compiled a 34-10 record in what has been an abbreviated season, with the Serbian understandably focusing on the Grand Slams.

In fact, this is Djokovic's first ATP event since Geneva just before the French Open, with the 38-year-old's last three tournaments being slams.

If not for Sinner and Alcaraz, Djokovic likely would have added more major silverware to his trophy cabinet this year, but he lost to all three at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open.

Returning to action in Shanghai this week, Djokovic began his quest for a fifth title in the city by beating fellow veteran Marin Cilic in the opening round before being forced to dig deep for back-to-back three-st victories over Yannick Hanfmann and Jaume Munar.

Djokovic received multiple medical timeouts during his 6-3 5-7 6-2 victory over Munar in the R16, with the match lasting two hours and 42 minutes.

Bergs comes into this contest with a career-best 30-23 record on the season and will rise into the world's top 40 for the first time courtesy of this run in Shanghai.

The Belgian took a while to take the next step in his career, languishing between the 100-200 mark in the rankings for a few years.

However, the 26-year-old has gone to another level over the last 18 months or so and in 2025 has reached the first two ATP finals in his career in Auckland and s-Hertogenbosch.

Bergs made the third round of the US Open and scored a vital win for Belgium over Australia in Davis Cup before enjoying a run to his first ever Masters 1000 quarter-final in Shanghai, taking out Sebastian Korda, Casper Ruud (via retirement), Francisco Cerundolo and Gabriel Diallo.