If this becomes true, this promises to be the highlight match of round 3 of the 2024 ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters.

Novak Djokovic has the chance to face a familiar opponent in the third round (round of 16) of the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters 1000 after struggling to overcome Alex Michelsen in the opening match on the evening of October 5, Vietnam time.

According to the bracket posted on the ATP homepage, Djokovic will meet one of two players: Flavio Cobolli or Stanislas Wawrinka. Flavio Cobolli is a young talent of Italian tennis, the two sides have never faced each other before, but with Wawrinka, Nole and Stan The Man created classic matches many years ago, when both were at the peak of their form.

Very few players have had an equal head-to-head record with Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer when the Big 3 dominated the tennis world for over a decade. Similarly, Djokovic and Wawrinka have met 27 times in the past, with Nole dominating: 21 wins – 6 losses. However, the Swiss player has made Nole regret in many important matches.

Winning a Grand Slam at a time when the Big 3 dominated was considered unthinkable, but Stan Wawrinka did it 3 times, including 2 victories against Novak Djokovic in the Roland Garros final in 2015 and the US Open 2016, in addition to victories in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open 2014 and the round of 16 of the US Open 2019, etc.

The last time Djokovic and Wawrinka met was at Wimbledon 2023, where Nole easily defeated his great rival after 3 sets with the scores 6-3; 6-1; 7-6 (7-5).

At the moment, although both are past their prime, Novak Djokovic is still rated much higher than Stanislas Wawrinka. Djokovic still maintains his intensity against the top young players at the moment, while Wawrinka has fallen out of the world top 100 after a series of negative results.

At this year’s Shanghai Masters, Wawrinka won a wildcard and faced “Serving Machine” Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the first round. Stan The Man won against his opponent after 2 tie-breaks, and would have faced Flavio Cobolli today, October 5, if the match had not been postponed to October 6 due to heavy rain.