Shanghai Masters 1000 | Jannik Sinner qualified for the quarter-finals, Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev too

Alexander Zverev will not reach the quarter-finals of the Masters 1000 in Shanghai. This Wednesday, he was surprised in two sets (6-4, 7-5) by David Goffin, who had not reached this stage during a Masters 1000 since Monte Carlo 2021 and will face Taylor Fritz, who defeated Holger Rune (6-1, 6-2). Currently 66th in the ATP, the Belgian, former seventh in the world (in 2017), is having a very satisfactory start to the tournament and can harbor ambitions for the future.

“I am super happy with the result and especially the way. I had nothing to lose todayunderlined the 33-year-old player as he left the court. I feel confident in this tournament. I’m playing better and better. Have I thought about retirement in recent months? No. Today I feel fresher and have more confidence in my body.”

These new sensations were seen on the court and the current third player in the world paid the price after 1h57 of play. During the match, the Belgian often rushed into Alexander Zverev’s second ball and that made fly from the first round since he broke his opponent twice to win the first set. Author of eight aces, the German will regret his missed set point at 5-4 on David Goffin’s serve. A few minutes later, the Belgian turned the situation around to claim a prestigious victory.

The days go by and are the same in Shanghai for Novak Djokovic. Already impressive on Tuesday against Flavio Cobolli in the 3rd round, the Serb was just as quick on Wednesday against Roman Safiullin, 61st in the world, in the round of 16. He thus left only five games to his opponent (6-3, 6-2) in just over an hour (1h12 precisely). To hope to reach the last four, he will have to get rid of the young Czech Jakub Mensik, who defeated Grigor Dimitrov (6-3, 3-6, 6-4).

Very serious and on his feet, Djokovic only had one alert at 2-2 in the first set when he had to save two break points. Once the danger was over, it was a walk in the park: from 3-3 to 6-3, 2-0, he played five games together to find himself with a set and a break in advance.

He even won 9 of the last 11 games of a one-sided game which he animated with a few conversations with the referee – definitely a mania among players in Shanghai – notably on the evolution of the rules relating to towels and the role ball boys in this area. No warning resulted, the exchanges remaining cordial and Djokovic therefore continued his journey without incident.

Unfailing composure. Subjected to a real test on Wednesday in the round of 16 against Ben Shelton, seeded 14 in this Shanghai Masters 1000, Jannik Sinner did not flinch. The world number 1 did not wander around but still impressed in his management of important moments to win in two sets (6-4, 7-6) and 1h28 of play. In the quarter-final, the Italian will find Daniil Medvedev, winner of the duel against Stefanos Tsitsipas.

If one statistic had to sum up this game, it would be this: Jannik Sinner converted his only break point on Wednesday in 4 games everywhere in the first act and saved Ben Shelton’s 7 chances on his own serve. Manhandled particularly in the second set, he dismissed no less than 5 break points in two consecutive engagements at 3-2 then 4-3 against him. And when the tie-break arrived, he didn’t let anything slip away to win decisively 7 points to 1.

His American rival, however, more than did his match, but faced with the confidence of the world number 1 when the tension rose several notches (only 9 unforced errors in total), he proved powerless.

In the quarter-final, the Italian will meet Daniil Medvedev, who managed to get rid of a rather nervous Stefanos Tsitsipas and also at war with the match referee, like Frances Tiafoe on Tuesday. In question, once again, a “time violation” received in the second set, which caused the Greek to explode, even refusing to resume the match without the intervention of the supervisor.

More consistent in the match, the Russian ended up winning in two sets (7-6, 6-3). Between him and the Italian, it will be the fifth duel of the season, this time for a place in the last four of the Masters 1000 in Shanghai. And if Medvedev is ahead in total of their confrontations (7-6), Sinner has won six times in the last seven confrontations.