Novak Djokovic made a successful comeback at the Shanghai Masters, thereby taking a big step forward in the race for a ticket to the ATP Finals later this year.

Novak Djokovic is back in contention for the ATP Finals in Turin after a successful return to action at the Shanghai Masters. The Serb spent much of the season outside the qualifying group, but recent wins and Alex De Minaur’s absence have seen him climb to No. 8.

As the fourth seed, Djokovic received a bye into the first round, but needed a win in his opening match to secure the points needed to improve his ranking. In a tense match, Djokovic defeated American world number 43 Alex Michelsen 7-6(3), 7-6 to advance to the third round.

An inconsistent season and limited tournament participation have left Djokovic’s chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals uncertain. He has been a regular at the ATP Finals since 2017 and is the defending champion. Djokovic has played just eight tournaments this year, winning 32 matches and not winning a title. Most of his points in 2024 have come from Wimbledon finals and semi-finals at the Australian Open and Monte-Carlo Masters.

Alex De Minaur’s hip injury in recent months has helped Djokovic recover significantly from a large points deficit. The Australian had the best season of his career, breaking into the Top 10 for the first time and winning titles at the Mexican Open and s’Hertogenbosch, along with reaching the quarterfinals at all the Grand Slams. However, a hip injury forced him to withdraw from Wimbledon, and although he returned to play at the US Open, he was injured again and had to skip the Asian tour.

Djokovic’s second-round win over Michelsen earned him 50 points, taking his total to 3,310, surpassing De Minaur’s 3,305. Now Djokovic has a good chance to continue climbing the rankings.

The early exits of Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev (ranked 6th and 7th in the Race) open the door for Djokovic to move up. Reaching the semi-finals would earn him 400 points (total 3,660), ahead of Rublev (3,580). Reaching the final would earn him 650 points (total 3,910), ahead of Ruud (3,795). Winning the title could see Djokovic leapfrog Taylor Fritz, depending on how the American performs.