SHANGHAI, October 13, 2016
The quarterfinals of the Shanghai Rolex Masters are set, as the top seeds of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament prevailed on Thursday. World number one Novak Djokovic ousted Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil, winning 6-4, 6-4.
The 29-year-old Serb, who is back in action for the first time since finishing runner-up to Stan Wawrinka at the US Open, withstood 12 aces and broke his opponent’s serve three times to advance in one hour and 20 minutes.
“I thought it was a great quality of tennis today from both players. I was very pleased with the way I played from the first to last point. I don’t think I dropped my level at all,” Djokovic told.
“And on the other side, Vasek was serving very well. It was really hard to read his serve. He was hitting the spots beautifully. He was putting a lot of power in that. Just when I needed to read his serve and play well, I did. It was enough: one break in both sets.”
Djokovic will next take on Mischa Zverev. The German qualifier fought past Marcel Granollers of Spain, rallying 6-7, 6-4, 6-1. Zverev is the first qualifier to reach the quarterfinals of an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament this season.
His brother Alexander Zverev was defeated by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The ninth seed from France fired 11 aces, winning 72 per cent of his first service points to secure a 6-7, 6-2, 7-5 victory in two hours and 26 minutes. Next up for Tsonga will be Roberto Bautista-Agut. The last Spaniard in the singles draw edged past Viktor Troicki 6-3, 6-3.
Unseeded US-American Jack Sock has reached his first ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal, snapping an eight-match losing streak to Milos Raonic. The 25-year-old celebrated a great comeback to gain a 0-6, 6-4, 7-6 win in one hour and 52 minutes. Sock will next face Gilles Simon, who knocked out Stan Wawrinka 6-4, 6-4.
Second seed Andy Murray and David Goffin complete the stage of the final eight. The world number two defeated Lucas Pouille with a comfortable 6-1, 6-3 victory. The 11th favourite from Belgium overcame Gael Monfils, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in two hours and 19 minutes.
