Novak Djokovic rolls past Flavio Cobolli to make Shanghai Masters last 16
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Novak Djokovic of Serbia in action during his 6-1, 6-2 round-of-32 win over Flavio Cobolli of Italy at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in China on Oct 8.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
SHANGHAI – An aggressive Novak Djokovic powered through to the last 16 of the Shanghai Masters on Oct 8, steamrollering Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour, as he took out his frustrations over the hassle of the rain-disrupted schedule on the Italian.
The four-time Shanghai champion completely dominated 30th-ranked Cobolli, breaking him in the second and sixth games of the first set.
“I can’t complain about anything in the game, I was able to play aggressively,” Djokovic said. “I’m glad to be progressing through a tournament that has meant a lot to me in my career.”
Fans waved Serbian flags and screamed in delight when the former world No. 1 wrote part of his name in Chinese characters on a camera lens at the end of the match.
He will next play Russian Roman Safiullin, who upset American Frances Tiafoe in three tight sets.
“I’m glad to finally play a match after three days of rain, it’s been a hassle for a lot of players,” Djokovic said.
The round of 16 has almost fallen into place after days of schedule disruption due to rain.
Ben Shelton dispatched Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3, 6-4 to set up a Shanghai rematch with world No. 1 Jannik Sinner of Italy. The American knocked Sinner out of the tournament at the same stage in 2023.
“(I have) great memories from that match last year. I probably watched the tape of that a couple times so far this year but, yeah, I’m really looking forward to it, that will be fun,” Shelton said.
Sinner’s chief rival Carlos Alcaraz, who beat him in the China Open final on Oct 2, will face Gael Monfils. The 38-year-old Frenchman defeated his younger and higher-ranked compatriot Ugo Humbert 7-6 (9-7), 2-6, 6-1.
World No. 3 Alexander Zverev beat Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (8-6), 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) to set up a clash against Belgian David Goffin.
Stefanos Tsitsipas recovered from a lapse in concentration in the second set to beat France’s Alexandre Muller 6-3, 7-5. He will meet world No. 5 Daniil Medvedev in the last 16.
“(Medvedev) likes courts like this. I feel like I’m getting better with time... What is missing is trying to get a good win under my belt,” said the Greek, acknowledging his recent patchy form.
“In the past, I might have said some mean stuff about (Medvedev’s) game, but... I think I was completely wrong in that. There are a lot of interesting things in his game that he brings that are very different from other players.”
World No. 10 Grigor Dimitrov is through after beating Australia’s Alexei Popyrin 7-6 (7-5), 6-2. The Bulgarian will play Czech teenager Jakub Mensik, who already ended one top-10 player’s hopes when he sent Russia’s Andrey Rublev home on Oct 5.
Over on the women’s tour, former world No. 2 Paula Badosa has withdrawn from the Wuhan Open, organisers said on Oct 8, amid a racism row over an online photo.
Tournament organisers said the Spaniard had pulled out of the WTA 1000 tournament, citing a gastrointestinal illness, hours before her first-round match against Australian Ajla Tomljanovic.
Various media reported earlier that Badosa had posted a photo on Instagram in which she appeared to imitate a Chinese face by placing chopsticks on the corners of her eyes. The photo was taken last week in a restaurant in Beijing, where she reached the semi-finals of the China Open, and was posted online by her coach Pol Toledo. It sparked an uproar and has since been deleted.
The world No. 15 apologised for her behaviour in a post on social media platform X on Oct 7.
“Hey guys! Really sorry didn’t know this was offensive towards racism. My mistake,” she wrote. “I take full responsibility. These mistakes will make me learn for next time. Hope you understand.”
She was replaced in the draw by lucky loser Lucia Bronzetti of Italy, who beat Tomljanovic 6-1, 7-6 (7-2) on Oct 8.
Also on Oct 8, 11th seed Liudmila Samsonova of Russia became the highest seed to exit the tournament, after Poland’s Magda Linette beat her 6-2, 6-2 to set up a last-32 clash against Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko.
Two home hopes fell by the wayside, with Zhang Shuai failing to replicate her fairy-tale run to the China Open quarter-finals, after a 6-4, 6-4 defeat by Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan.
Wang Xiyu, meanwhile, lost to French Open semi-finalist Mirra Andreeva of Russia 7-6 (7-5), 6-3. AFP
