India, Oct. 11 -- Novak Djokovic's Shanghai Masters campaign took a drastic turn on Thursday night when the 24-time Grand Slam champion appeared to suffer a "back injury" during his semifinal match against world No. 204 Valentin Vacherot, who won the match with a score of 6-3 6-4.

Usually unshakable on the court, Djokovic this time looked in pain. Essentially Sports reported that the Serbian player halted play in the opening set at 3-4.

He was seen clutching his lower back before calling for a medical timeout. After receiving a brief treatment, he stood up, and continued the match with Valentin Vacherot. This defiance has defined much of Djokovic's 2025 season so far.

This latest injury scare comes after a string of physical setbacks t...