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By Chris Oddo |Thursday October 13, 2016

One word could aptly describe Novak Djokovic’s 6-4, 6-4 win over Vasek Pospisil on Thursday at the Shanghai Masters: Mellow. The Serb is taking a new approach to life, and subsequently tennis, in Shanghai this week, and all signs point to a World No. 1 that is every bit as lethal on the court, even if he is a little mellower in the mind.

More: Nadal Says He Must Impose Fear Factor to Win

Djokovic was pushed at times by Canada’s Vasek Pospisil, but he calmly navigated through any difficulties to achieve his 58th victory on the season and set up a quarterfinal with qualifier Mischa Zverev on Friday.

Djokovic finished with 12 winners against 15 unforced errors and he was only broken once--after he had built a 4-0 lead in set one. Posipisil had his moments in the match but Djokovic routinely exposed his second serve and seemed to dominate despite the relatively close scoreline.

The World No. 1 improves to 4-0 lifetime against Pospisil, and he has won all nine sets from him. The three-time Shanghai champion improves to 26-3 at the event.

Djokovic has spoken at length about taking a new approach in recent weeks, and he elaborated further on that this week in Shanghai.

The World No. 1 says that his mindset may have played a role in the injuries he suffered this summer. “I was in great shape. I won Toronto,” he said. “You know, I was, as I can say, the peak of my abilities. I was extremely motivated to do well there, but I lost that equilibrium. I lost that balance, because I exaggerated with the way I pushed myself in that kind of preparation and I really, you know, wanted it too much maybe. So that's why I think this injury, if I analyze it more deeply, is a reflection of that kind of mindset. I learned a lesson and I move on. Again, I can learn so much from these kind of circumstances and situations, especially when I lose big matches, that that's when I learn the biggest lessons.”

Djokovic has stated that he wants to focus more on a human approach to tennis. Being No. 1 or winning more majors have clouded his vision, and he’s tapping into something deeper as the season winds down. On Thursday he certainly did seem calm, unhurried and at peace. It wasn’t a brilliant, dominant performance by any means, but there was something very easy about Djokovic’s 80-minute win.

“I try to look at things from different perspective, from more human perspective rather than from perspective of professional tennis player,” Djokovic said after his first match, a straight-sets win over Fabio Fognini at Shanghai. “When I get on the court, of course I want to give my best and eventually try to win the match, but that comes as a consequence of how I feel and how I approach, how I prepare, you know, just a general mindset and approach. But not as a priority of must-win type of mindset, you know, because that is not working for me anymore.”

So far the new approach appears to be paying dividends. And it will be interesting to see if there are any differences in Djokovic’s approach as we head into more important matches. He’s on track to face Andy Murray in the final here at Shanghai, and much is being made of Murray’s quest to finally overtake him as World No. 1.

It’s not something that Djokovic wants to discuss anymore, but when his game is left to do the talking how will it fare? It should be a very interesting weekend in Shanghai, indeed.

 

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