In their first meeting since Murray’s win in the US Open final, Djokovic triumphed 5-7 7-6 (13-11) 6-3.
Murray edged the first set, which had seven breaks of serve, with Djokovic reacting angrily by smashing a racket.
Djokovic saved five match points in the second set before taking the tie-break and breaking Murray twice in the third.
In a top-class match, the British world number three showed plenty of the form he displayed in beating world number one Roger Federer in Saturday’s semi-finals but Djokovic – who had lost his last two matches against the Scot, at Flushing Meadows and in the Olympic semi-final at Wimbledon – threw everything at him.
With the momentum in his favour, Djokovic broke to go 4-3 up in the decider and broke Murray again in the ninth game when the Scot went long with a backhand.
It ended Murray’s winning run in Shanghai and gave Djokovic his fifth title of the year.
“It was a thrilling match [and] very long,” said the Serb. “Three and a half hours for best of three is quite long. But I have got used to it.
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