Novak Djokovic said he had to "fire up all engines" as he overcame a stodgy first set to reach the third round of the Shanghai Masters on Friday, beating fellow veteran Marin Cilic 7-6 (7/2), 6-4.

The 38-year-old Serb is aiming for a record-extending fifth title in Shanghai, where he was greeted by rapturous cheers as he entered a stadium packed with adoring Chinese fans.

The combined age of Djokovic and Cilic -- 75 years and 139 days -- was the oldest ever between two opponents in an ATP Masters 1000 main draw match.

"I did enjoy it, but I also suffered a lot on the court," said Djokovic.

"It was a very close match. He was probably the better player for the first set," he added, saying he needed to "fire up all engines".

The first set was hard-fought, with 94th-ranked Cilic's best ch

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