Djokovic explains erratic behavior after Shanghai loss

Novak Djokovic fell in the Shanghai semifinals on Saturday to 19th-ranked Roberto Bautista Agut, 6-4, 6-4. The world No. 1 was the opposite of his cool, composed self, smashing his racquet repeatedly and at one point, ripping his own shirt.

The shirt rip came at 2-2, deuce in the second set, and Djokovic walked over to change his shirt (just like he had changed racquets after smashing one). The move caused umpire Carlos Bernardes to issue a warning, sparking an argument.

"I just don’t understand he decisions that he has made…," Djokovic said after the match. "I went to change my shirt and he gives me a warning. He was the star of the show. That's what he wanted to be today."

This isn't the first time Djokovic has taken his frustration out on his Uniqlo apparel, having pulled the same move after losing a set to Gael Monfils at this year's US Open.

About his day in the office on Saturday, Djokovic said that mentally he "just didn't feel good" and that "we all, as humans, experience those kinds of oscillations every day. Sometimes things don’t go the way you want them to go."

Spread between the incidents, the Serb would hit an uncharacteristic 29 unforced errors. Still, he gave plenty of credit to his much-steadier opponent and focused on what's ahead.

He'll be celebrating his son Stefan's second birthday on Friday, and then competing in Paris at the end of the month.