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Match Report
Djokovic survives #NextGenATP Mensik in Shanghai, stays on monitor for one centesimal title
Serbian seeks record-extending fifth crown at Chinese language ATP Masters 1000
October 11, 2024
Hector Retamal/Getty Photographs
Novak Djokovic marches into his ninth semi-final on the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
By Jerome Coombe
Novak Djokovic survived a quarter-final scare Friday on the Rolex Shanghai Masters to remain alive in his quest for a one centesimal tour-level title.
The document four-time champion rallied from a set all the way down to neutralise the specter of #NextGenATP star Jakub Mensik, incomes a 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-4 win to advance to the final 4 in Shanghai for a ninth time. After a sluggish begin, Djokovic clicked into gear in a near-flawless second set throughout which he received 92 per cent (11/12) of factors behind his first serve, in line with Infosys ATP Stats.
“We went toe-to-toe till the final second,” stated Djokovic, who superior to a document 77th Masters 1000 semi-final. “I used to be lucky to seek out nice serves within the final recreation, a few aces, that helps. I didn’t serve that properly on the finish of the primary set once I was serving for it. He managed to show issues round by enjoying a superb tie-break.
“I stayed collected and began off very properly within the second [set], I felt that we each had a bodily disaster at first of the set. We pushed one another rather a lot, a whole lot of lengthy rallies. [It was] a tricky battle, nearly two and a half hours.”
Sealed with an ace 😘
The second @DjokerNole turned the third oldest man to achieve ATP Masters 1000 semi-final after Federer 🙌@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/glxPE8KpU9
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 11, 2024
Bidding to turn out to be the third oldest ATP Masters 1000 semi-finalist in sequence historical past (since 1990), the 37-year-old took a stranglehold on the third set, surging to victory in two hours and 19 minutes. Djokovic will subsequent face seventh seed Taylor Fritz, who earlier claimed a dominant 6-3, 6-4 win towards David Goffin.
“I haven’t educated with him for a yr and a half, so I may see at this time why he is without doubt one of the greatest servers we’ve within the recreation,” Djokovic stated of Mensik, who hit 17 aces within the match. “He’s solely 19, the longer term may be very brilliant for him. He is aware of that I’m all the time there for him, no matter he wants.
“Jakub is any person that I’ve been following for the final three or 4 years, ever since he performed the finals of junior Australian Open. We like enjoying one another, we increase the extent after we face one another. We’ve performed a whole lot of apply units and it’s all the time enjoyable.”
Large #ShotQuality enhancements for @DjokerNole because the match went on…
Set 1 Serve 7.8 Fh 7.0
Set 2 Serve 8.5 Fh 9.6 🔥
Set 3 Serve 8.9 Fh 8.8— Tennis Insights (@tennis_insights) October 11, 2024
After enhancing to 36-8 on the season, Djokovic leapfrogged Andrey Rublev into seventh within the PIF ATP Reside Race To Turin. The Serb is a document seven-time champion on the Nitto ATP Finals and now sits 355 factors forward of ninth-placed Alex de Minaur.
Mensik, who was competing in his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final, defeated World No. 6 Rublev and No. 9 Grigor Dimitrov en path to the final eight. The 19-year-old stays fourth within the PIF ATP Reside Race To Jeddah, in robust rivalry to make his maiden look on the Subsequent Gen Finals.
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