SHANGHAI MASTERS
SHANGHAI, Oct 8: Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after losing the second set but recovered to beat Jaume Munar 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 in hot and humid conditions at the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday.
After losing a long rally by sending a forehand wide to end the second set, Djokovic slumped to the ground and remained sprawled on his back with his forearm over his eyes for several seconds.
He then slowly sat up and rested his head between his legs before he was helped back to his chair by a trainer.
He was given medical treatment in his chair before the start of the third set but then broke Munar straight away after his opponent missed a simple overhead when leading 40-15.
The 38-year-old Djokovic declined to do the traditional on-court interview after the match but wrote on X: “Tough day at the office. Very challenging physically.”
The win made Djokovic the oldest man to reach the last eight at an ATP Masters 1000 event — two months older than Roger Federer was when he reached the quarterfinals in Shanghai in 2019.
Djokovic is chasing a record-extending 41st Masters title.
He will next face Zizou Bergs of Belgium.
Tenth-seeded Holger Rune also came through a tough challenge, defeating big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4, 6-7 (7), 6-3.
MINAUR WINS
Seventh-seeded Alex de Minaur became the third player this season to win 50 tour-level games by defeating Nuno Borges 7-5, 6-2 at the Shanghai Masters on Wednesday.
De Minaur hit 19 winners on the way to reach his seventh Masters 1000 quarterfinal in one hour and 47 minutes.
Only top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz with 67 wins and Taylor Fritz with 50 have already reached the 50-win mark in 2025.
In his previous best season, De Minaur had 47 wins in 2024, and two titles.
He will be facing next Daniil Medvedev or Learner Tien.
Also, the 12th-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime knocked out eighth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 6-2 to set up up a quarterfinal against Arthur Rinderknech who upset another seeded player, No. 15 Jiri Lehecka 6-3, 7-6 (5).
The 54th-ranked Rinderknech who eliminated third-seeded Alexander Zverev, has joined his cousin Valentin Vacherot in the quarters. (AP)
