Federer battles into third round and Del Potro shakes off illness in Shanghai
Roger Federer grafted his way into the Shanghai Masters third round with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win over in-form Daniil Medvedev yesterday.
Federer, the defending champion in Shanghai, 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 Russian, 22, 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.
“In the third set I really started to figure it out,” said Federer. “How aggressive or how tactical I wanted to make the match, and by trying everything, I found a solution at the end.”
Federer said he was pleased with his performance, but lalso acknowledged it had been a nervy one.
“Of course I feel pressure from the tournament organisers, the fans, my team, myself, because I know that sometimes coming through a tough first round can be the key to what’s to come afterwards,” said the 2017 champion.
“Today was very close to maybe not getting that next step.”
With the exception of injured world No 1 Rafael Nadal, Federer’s main rivals are all still in the mix.
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 Argentine, 30, lost Sunday’s final of the China Open in Beijing to unseeded Nikoloz Basilashvili and afterwards revealed that he had been unwell.
Three days on and Del Potro continues to be under the weather, but did enough to see off Gasquet 7-5, 7-6 and will play 13th seed Borna Coric of Croatia next.
Zverev, 21, fought off a cold and the raw power of Basilashvili, winning 7-5, 6-4.
The fourth seed will play Australia’s world-ranked 33 Alex de Minaur.
No 2 seed Djokovic took his place in the last 16 on Tuesday with a convincing victory over Jeremy Chardy.
The Serb, who is in sparkling form having won Wimbledon and the US Open this summer, plays 16th seed Marco Cecchinato today, aiming to gain revenge against the Italian, who claimed a surprise victory in the French Open quarter-finals in June.
In the third set, I really started to figure it out. How aggressive or how tactical I wanted to make the match ROGER FEDERER