Djokovic, Federer enter quarters
SHANGHAI: Novak Djokovic enjoyed a measure of revenge as he booked his spot in the Shanghai Masters quarter-finals with a 6-4, 6-0 demolition of Marco Cecchinato on Thursday.
The Serbian second seed was stunned by the Italian — ranked 72 in the world at the time — in the French Open quarter-finals earlier this year. It was part of the wretched run of form Djokovic suffered in the first half of the year after elbow surgery in February. But the world number three exploded back to life in the northern hemisphere summer, winning Wimbledon, the Cincinnati Masters and US Open.
The 31-year-old blazed past Cecchinato in just over an hour.
Djokovic will play Kevin Anderson who defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 7-6.
Reigning champion Roger Federer was pushed all the way for the second match in a row before beating Roberto Bautista Agut to squeeze into the quarter-finals.
The top seed and 20-time Grand Slam winner emerged from another nervy battle to eventually defeat the 28th-ranked Spaniard 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.
Rising star Alexander Zverev was similarly emphatic as he brushed aside Australia’s new number one, teenager Alex de Minaur 6-1, 6-4. The German fourth seed will face 11th seed Kyle Edmund in the last eight.
The 21-year-old Zverev was ruthless as he took the first set in just 29 minutes, although his 19-year-old opponent showed more fight in the second.
Zverev ratcheted up the pressure to grab the all-important break of serve in the ninth game before closing out the match against de Minaur.
FEDERER HAILS NADAL FOR MAJORCA HELP
PARIS: Roger Federer hailed old rival Rafael Nadal as “super-inspiring” after the world No. 1 joined in the clean-up operation after flash floods killed 12 people on the island of Majorca. Nadal, 32, was pictured wearing boots and white gloves, mopping up the floor of a warehouse on Wednesday on the island where he lives.
‘NEW DAVIS CUP NOT DESIGNED FOR ME’
SHANGHAI: Roger Federer added his heft to the growing debate around the controversial newformat Davis Cup, saying that “this was not designed for me”.
The inaugural Davis Cup finals are slated for a week in Madrid in November 2019 as part of a revamp, but it has been contentious with players.