The Serbian Novak Djokovic 37 years old and world No. 4, he continues to have a calm return to China, a country he has not visited since 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic. A four-time Shanghai Masters 1000 ATP champion, he went one step further in search of a fifth crown.
He had a peaceful afternoon, defeating the Russian Romain Safiullin27 years old and world number 61, 6-3 and 6-2 in 1h.13′. The Olympic champion added his 35th victory of the season, in 43 games, qualifying for the quarterfinal round.
On Friday he will face the Czech Jakub Mensikwho beat the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov by 6-3, 3-6 and 6-4. ‘Nole’ came in fresh and with sharp tennis. He had three break balls against him, he saved them all with authority, from a great serve.
The only complaint he, his teammates too in recent days: counting too early 25″ to serve when the previous point is long. The referees (in this case the Catalan Nacho Forcadell) patiently explain that the system has changed since the weed session, that the clock is activated automatically and they don’t do it directly.
The Balkans are approaching the record of Rafael Nadal in Masters 1000 ATP. The Balearic player leads the classification of matches won in this category. He has a balance of 410-90. Djokovic is three wins away with a record of 407-89.
He will match Manacorí this week if he wins his 100th title and is again champion in Shanghai. If not, he has Paris a few weeks before him to add another note to his extensive history. He has the most crowns 1000 with 40, more than four Rafael Nadal.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
