The draw at the Rolex Shanghai Masters has finally caught up with itself with the last 16 now known which includes all the big names of the game.
I haven’t played too many matches, I think the positive in that is that I’m fresh, so I am happy to play every day as long as it takes Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic, the four-time champion at the event, swept past Italian Flavio Cobolli 6-1 6-2 with a strong performance breaking the 28th seeded Italian four times to wrap it all up in 62-minutes.
Next up for the fourth seed is Roman Safiullin, who came back from a set down to beat Frances Tiafoe 5-7 7-5 7-6(5) in a marathon three-hour contest. However, Tiafoe disgraced himself by uttering a string of F bombs as he left the court, all aimed at the umpire for issuing him with a time violation during the latter stages of the highly charged match. The American apologised profusely to everyone later.
Djokovic, playing at his first event since his third-round loss at the US Open never looked under threat as the serial title winner of the last two decades, chases only his second title of the season.
“From the beginning I had a clear game plan of what I needed to do, staying aggressive and trying to use every short ball to take the initiative in the point,” Djokovic said.
“Cobolli was evidently exhausted after last night’s match [a win over Stan Wawrinka]. I think that has taken a toll, physically, on him today.
“I haven’t played too many matches, I think the positive in that is that I’m fresh, so I am happy to play every day as long as it takes.”
Four players, namely Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Tommy Paul, reached the last 16 over two days ago so have had a longer break than usual and will be delighted to be back in action.
Ben Shelton of the US will now face top seeded Sinner after beating Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3 6-4 while US Open runner-up Taylor Fritz beat Japanese qualifier Yosuke Watanuki by the same scoreline to set up a fourth-round tie against No. 12 seed Holger Rune, who beat the Czech Jiri Lehecka 6-4 7-5.
The French veteran entertainer Gael Monfils beat his fellow Frenchman Ugo Humbert 7-6(7) 2-6 6-1 to set up another tie with the third seeded Carlos Alcaraz, in what will be their third clash of the season after sharing the spoils, Alcaraz in Miami and Monfils in Cincinnati.
Stefanos Tsitsipas won 6-3 7-5 against Alexandre Muller to set up an intriguing last 16 showdown with fifth seed Daniil Medvedev.
Grigor Dimitrov downed Alexei Popyrin 7-6(5) 6-2, and will face Alexander Shevchenko’s conqueror, the Czech Jakub Mensik next, while another Czech player, Tomas Machac, will meet Tommy Paul, the 11th seed after beating Alexander Vukic 6-4 6-2.
