Federer makes shaky start to title defence at Shanghai Open
SHANGHAI: Roger Federer was given a huge scare before finally seeing off Russia’s Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to open his Shanghai Masters defence in unconvincing fashion on Wednesday.
The 37-year-old Swiss top seed faces Spain’s unseeded Roberto Bautista Agut on Thursday in the last 16. The 20-time Grand Slam champion initially wasted little time stamping his mark on the tournament, breaking the 22nd-ranked Medvedev in the first game.
But Medvedev, fresh from winning the Japan Open, broke back and enjoyed even more luck on Federer’s service in the second set. Federer’s large cheering squad -- decked out in matching red T-shirts -- looked on in disbelief as Medvedev grabbed the second set.
The 22-year-old then put the Swiss under immediate pressure on his serve in the deciding set, only for an uncharacteristically flustered Federer to hold.
In what was the first meeting between the pair, Federer broke in the ninth game to finally destroy Medvedev’s resolve in just under two hours.
Juan Martin del Potro and Alexander Zverev both defied illness to join Federer and Novak Djokovic in the next round.
Del Potro, the third seed, said that he is suffering from a virus and reviewing his health “hour by hour”, after labouring past France’s Richard Gasquet.
The 21-year-old Zverev fought off a cold -- he has had a sore throat and blocked nose for a few days -- and the raw power of Basilashvili, winning 7-5, 6-4.
PLISKOVA CRUISES
TIANJIN: Top seed Karolina Pliskova bulldozed her way into the Tianjin Open quarter-finals by beating Slovenian Polona Hercog 6-1 6-2 on Wednesday as the Czech power-hitter eyes a place at the WTA Finals later this month.
Fellow Czech Barbora Krejcikova or Briton Katie Boulter awaits Pliskova in the last eight of the competition.
Fourth seed Aryna Sabalenka beat Poland’s Magda Linette 6-1 6-3 to reach the last eight.