Sinner, Alcaraz Reach Shanghai Masters Quarterfinals

Jannik Sinner, Shanghai
Jannik Sinner (photo: ATP Tour video)

SHANGHAI/WASHINGTON, October 9, 2024 (by Michael Dickens)

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner reached his 14th quarterfinal of the season at the Rolex Shanghai Masters in Shanghai, China Wednesday afternoon — and gained a bit of revenge, too. The 23-year-old top-seeded Italian spoiled Ben Shelton‘s 22nd birthday and beat the American, 6-4, 7-6 (1), in an hour and 28 minutes to advance to the last eight of the penultimate ATP Masters 1000 event of the season.

Sinner, who leads the ATP Tour in wins (62) and titles (6) this season, dropped only six points on his first serve, hit 17 winners to just five unforced errors and saved all seven break points he faced from the 16th seed Shelton. This time, unlike last year in the same round when he lost to Shelton, Sinner reversed the result. He outpointed his opponent 68-56. It was the fourth time in five meetings that he’s come out on top.

“It was very tough. He played only first serves, except one second serve,” Sinner said in his on-court interview, addressing Shelton’s ‘s 95-percent (21 of 22) success rate on his first serve in the opening set. “I tried to wait a little bit. Obviously playing against him, even if it’s a second serve, it’s very tough to return.

“But if I look the positive picture, how I ended the match, I tried to stay a bit more aggressive, which I’ve done, and this hopefully can give me confidence for the for the next round,” Sinner added.

Sinner is safely through to his seventh Masters 1000 quarterfinal of the season — most since Alexander Zverev reached seven in 2018 — and is a win away from a semifinal showdown with No. 3 seed Carlos Alcaraz, with whom he lost the title match at the ATP 500 China Open in Beijing last week.

Next, Sinner will play World No. 5 and fifth seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia in their fifth meeting of the year. Medvedev garnered his 10th career triumph over No. 10 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, 7-6 (3), 6-3, in one hour and 50 minutes on Show Court 3. Medvedev hit 28 overall winners — including 10 aces and outpointed Tsitsipas 81-65.

Alcaraz runs winning streak to 12

Meanwhile, the World No. 2 Alcaraz ran his winning streak to 12 in advancing to the quarterfinals. The 21-year-old battled his way past No. 46 Gaël Monfils of France, 6-4, 7-5, in an hour and 27 minutes on Stadium Court to become the first Spaniard to reach the last eight in Shanghai since Rafael Nadal and Albert Ramos-Vinolas) in 2017. It was Alcaraz’s third victory over Monfils in four career meetings and it completed the set of reaching the quarterfinals at all hard court ATP Masters 1000 and Grand Slam events.

“The main thing I tried in this match was to stay calm, to control my emotions and wait for my chances,” Alcaraz, said in his on-court interview, after achieving his 51st win in 60 outings this season. “I had a few opportunities to break his serve at the beginning of the second set [and] I couldn’t take them. In those times, I tried to stay calm and think ‘I am going to have more’.

”That helped me a lot to show my best tennis during the match. I am feeling the ball really well, much more than I was during the American swing. So, I am happy to be able to do it and keep going.”

Alcaraz reached his 14th Masters 1000 quarterfinal by hitting 22 winners to nine unforced errors. His serve was not broken. He outpointed the 38-year-old Monfils 70-59.

Next, Alcaraz will face No. 30 seed Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic, who defeated No. 11 seed Tommy Paul of the United States, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, in two hours and two minutes. Machac overcame 40 unforced errors by hitting 37 winners and outpointed Paul 94-86.

Djokovic advances to 10th Shanghai quarterfinal

Four-time Shanghai champion Novak Djokovic became the first player in tournament history to reach 10 quarterfinals after beating No. 61 Roman Safiullin of Russia, 6-3, 6-2, Wednesday evening on Stadium Court. The World No. 4 and fourth seed Djokovic, who is chasing after his 100th career ATP title, won 88 percent of his first-serve points, hit 17 winners and converted three of five break points. He outpointed Safiullin 58-36 during their 73-minute match.

“Both last night’s match and tonight have been, maybe, some of the best matches I have played in a while, so I am just enjoying myself on the court,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview, after earning his 35th victory of the season in his 43rd outing. “When you play well and feel good, there is obviously a lot of joy in striking a tennis ball on the court.

“These sensations I have on the tennis court are some of the reasons why I keep on playing and keep on competing because I really believe that I can play at a very high level. Now, it’s a matter of keeping that consistency and also having a good time off the court.”

The 37-year-old Serbian improved to 21-0 in Shanghai prior to the quarterfinals. He will take an 8-1 mark into his quarterfinal match against 19-year-old #NextGenATP rising star Jakub Mensik of the Czech Republic. Mensik, the youngest quarterfinalist in Shanghai tournament history, fought past World No. 10 and ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, in two hours and three minutes on Show Court 3. It was the 23rd victory of the season and fourth straight win against a Top-10 player for Mensik.

Around the Rolex Shanghai Masters

World No. 7 and seventh seed Taylor Fritz of the United States needed just 55 minutes to eliminate World No. 14 and 12th seed Holger Rune of Denmark, 6-1, 6-2, on Show Court 3 Wednesday evening.

Fritz fired nine aces, hit 18 winners and broke Rune’s serve four t8mes in four chances en route to his 48th win of the season. He outpointed his opponent 57-31.

Next, Fritz will face No. 66 David Goffin of Belgium, who upset World No. 3 and second seed Alexander Zverev of Germany, 6-4, 7-5, in one hour and 56 minutes on Stadium Court. It was Goffin’s first Top-10 win since defeating No. 1 Alcaraz in 2022 at Astana. Now, Goffin is through to his 13th Masters 1000 quarterfinal and first since 2021 at Monte-Carlo.

Defending champions and top-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina were upset in the second round by wild cards Jamie Murray of Great Britain and John Peers of Australia, 6-7 (6), 6-4, 10-6. Despite the loss Granollers and Zeballos have already qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals in in Turin.

Wednesday’s Rolex Shanghai Masters results

Thursday’s Rolex Shanghai Masters order of play 

By the numbers

Jakub Mensik, 19, of the Czech Republic has compiled four consecutive Top 10 wins — including two straight at the Rolex Shanghai Masters — to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal and to become the youngest quarterfinalist in event history.

“Quotable …”

“With Sinner, yeah, I mean, we played already four times this year. I think one was very easy for him. The other three were tougher, I played well in some of them. I’m going to bring the fight, I’m going to prepare tactically, mentally, physically. It’s going to be a tough match, so hopefully my body feels well, and I’m ready, yeah, to bring the fight and go for it.”

— World No. 5 and fifth seed Daniil Medvedev, during his post-match media interview Wednesday, on facing World No. 1 and top seed Jannik Sinner of Italy in Thursday’s quarterfinals. In their four previous meetings this season, Sinner has won three of the four.

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