Djokovic begins defence with easy win
SHANGHAI: Novak Djokovic made a fast start to the defence of his Shanghai Masters crown yesterday, easing past young Canadian Denis Shapovalov in straight sets.
Fresh from winning career title 76 in Tokyo, the Serbian world No.1 will play big-serving American John Isner in the last 16 after a 6-3, 6-3 victory.
The 32-year-old Djokovic cantered to the win over the 20-year-old Shapovalov in just 70 minutes.
The Serb is getting back to his best after pulling out of the US Open in the last 16 with a shoulder injury.
Earlier, the 16th-seeded Isner beat Lucas Pouille of France 7-5, 6-3.
Sixth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/3) in the second round for the Greek’s first win in six attempts over his Canadian opponent.
The pair have met three times this season, with the other three games on the ITF Junior Circuit.
“Great. Very nice,” said Tsitsipas, when asked how it felt to finally beat the 19th-ranked Auger-Aliassime. “I did things differently this time, but I prefer not to say what I did differently,” he added with a smile.
Fifth seed Alexander Zverev also advanced to the round of 16 with a 7-6 (15/13), 7-6 (7/3) win over French qualifier Jeremy Chardy.
Zverev, who served 21 aces, saved three set points in the first-set tiebreak. He won that tie-break on his sixth set point. The German star will play Andrey Rublev of Russia next.
SHARAPOVA’S RETURN
Maria Sharapova said on Tuesday that she could make a comeback at Luxembourg next week after her troublesome shoulder forced her to withdraw injured from the WTA indoor event in Linz.
The five-time Grand Slam winner dropped out of the Austrian tournament last week but says that she could play in the Luxembourg tournament which starts Oct 14, even though her main focus is to get healthy for the 2020 season.
“I’m back on track now,” said Sharapova, whose last match was a crushing first round loss to Serena Williams in the US Open. “I’m doing all the right things, but I might need a little more time. I might play next week. I’ll test the shoulder with a couple of practice sets.”
The 32-year-old Sharapova missed more than four months, in the wake of right shoulder surgery. She returned for the grasscourt season but was then forced out of Wimbledon by a left forearm injury.