“Superman” Djokovic survives Munar in Shanghai

An exhausted Novak Djokovic vomited on court and fell onto his back with fatigue at the end of the second set before holding on against the odds for a win into the Shanghai Masters quarter-finals on Tuesday.

The 38-year-old with four titles here will play in the last eight of a Masters for the 97th time when he faces Belgian Zizou Bergs after overcoming Jaume Munar with an epic 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 win.

He also received multiple treatment for a left ankle issue as he scratched out the emotional fighting victory in just under two and three-quarter hours. He battled  the draining condition with ice towels around his head at the changeovers.

Djokovic looked dead on his feet during the second set of a match played on one of the slowest of all ATP hardcourts with 82 per cent humidity and 26 Celsius conditions making life a misery for players.

The 24-time Grand Slam singles champion rolled over on his back in pure exhaustion after losing the second set, with both the doctor and trainer coming to the court to check his blood pressure and provide a tablet.

But the Serb showed superhuman capacity as he broke his Spaniard opponent twice in the third set and was too tired to celebrate as he won on his second match point.

Djokovic shrugged off any post-match interviews as he hurried to the locker room for treatment and recovery prior to his quarter-final in 48 hours.

He has reached his 11th Shanghai quarter-final and is now the oldest to get this far here in the record books for an event which only dates to 2009.