ATP World Tour Finals 2019 Results: Tsitsipas vs. Thiem Final Set After Semis
Nov 16, 2019
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 16: Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece plays a backhand in his semi-final singles match against Roger Federer of Switzerland during Day Seven of the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 Arena on November 16, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Dominic Thiem will meet Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final of the 2019 Nitto ATP World Tour after both players won their semi-final matches at London's O2 Arena on Saturday.
Tsitsipas advanced to the final after an upset win over Roger Federer, his second notable victory at the expense of the decorated Swiss player this calendar year. Stubborn defence of his serve was the key to a 6-3, 6-4 win for Tsitsipas.
Thiem followed Tsitsipas' stellar performance by beating defending champion Alexander Zverev 7-5, 6-3.
Tsitsipas was in no mood to be swept aside by Federer. Instead, the Greek set about replicating his heroics at this year's Australian Open.
The process started with consistently thwarting Federer's attempts to rebound from an early deficit in the opening set. Those attempts included the 38-year-old combatting the Tsitsipas backhand with some powerful forehand strokes from the baseline:
Things continued in the same vein during the second, with Tsitsipas staying strong on serve. Federer secured just a single break point during the match, with Tsitsipas holding firm in key moments.
It was a case of some unfortunate history repeating itself for Federer:
The 21-year-old only advanced from the group stage at the expense of Rafael Nadal because Zverev beat Daniil Medvedev on Friday, but he is now in a position to take the title, provided he can overwhelm Thiem the way he did Federer.
It won't be easy, though—not against an opponent who proved his quality by outlasting Zverev. Like Tsitsipas, Thiem protected his serve well, saving four break points from four.
It makes the battle on serve in Sunday's final a fascinating one. Thiem can also trust his ability to force mistakes after his pressure led to a double-fault from Zverev on set point in the opener.
Later, making the most of shots aimed down the line helped Thiem seal things in the second:
The psychological edge will belong to Thiem on Sunday, after "the Austrian leads Tsitsipas 4-2 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series and won their only 2019 matchup, last month on hard court in the China Open final," per the ATP official website.
Thiem will likely be the favourite for the final, but Tsitsipas has already proved he won't be intimidated by either occasion or opposition.
Roger Federer Upset by Stefanos Tsitsipas in Straight Sets at 2019 ATP Finals
Nov 16, 2019
Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas (L) and Switzerland's Roger Federer interact before the men's singles semi-final match on day seven of the ATP World Tour Finals tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London on November 16, 2019. (Photo by Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images)
Stefanos Tsitsipas overcame Roger Federer in straight sets on Saturday and advanced to the final at the Nitto ATP Finals in London.
The Greek prevailed 6-3, 6-4 and will now meet either defending champion Alexander Zverev or Dominic Thiem on Sunday at the O2.
"I remember myself being one of these kids watching the event. Dreams do come true."
An energy-sapping first set went Tsitsipas' way after Federer failed to convert six break-point opportunities in the opener.
The burgeoning star broke Federer's serve at the start of the set to claim a 3-0 lead on his only break opportunity, and the 21-year-old showed resolve to frustrate his legendary opponent.
Tsitsipas closed out at 6-3, and Federer was clearly disappointed to have conceded a set he had gained traction in.
The 17-year age gap between the men appeared to favour the younger player, and Federer lacked his usual verve during crucial points.
Tsitsipas' ground strokes were at their best, and the world No. 6 stunned the crowd to repeat his earlier feat and break Federer's metronomic serve once again.
The early break in the second set handed Tsitsipas a 2-1 advantage, and Federer responded by increasing his pace and movement.
However, the Swiss lacked his usual accuracy, and he once again failed to take advantage when he seemingly had Tsitsipas on the ropes, continuing to waste multiple break points.
3 points for Federer to break straight back.
Can he finally convert?
Break points 7 & 8 go unconverted - and it's deuce! Federer now 0-9 on break points today. pic.twitter.com/emPbu2tZQf
The crowd were awoken as Federer finally punished Tsitsipas to earn a break of serve, but Tsitsipas responded by immediately breaking Federer's serve to make it 3-2.
Federer displayed signs of fatigue in his footwork, with his body language visibly in decline between high-octane points. Tsitsipas carved out a 4-2 lead, taking him within two games from the final.
The 38-year-old Federer had little in the tank during the concluding moments, wasting two further break-point opportunities.
Tsitsipas proved his outstanding potential during a stunning victory, and in current form, he has every chance to become the champion.
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 16: Roger Federer of Switzerland looks on as he sits down during a change of ends in his semi-final singles match against Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece during Day Seven of the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 Arena on Novemb
Federer could only muster three aces during a disappointing display. He lacked the vitality to compete against the younger man.
Tsitsipas saved 11 break points, and this gave him the confidence needed to beat Federer during his debut entry at the tournament.
ATP World Tour Finals 2019 Results: Rafael Nadal Eliminated, Zverev Advances
Nov 15, 2019
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 15: Rafael Nadal of Spain hits a forehand against Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece during Day Six of the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 Arena on November 15, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by TPN/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in three sets on Friday but crashed out of the Nitto ATP Finals in London.
Defending champion Alexander Zverev beat Daniil Medvedev in straight sets, forcing Nadal's exit from the competition.
Zverev will now meet Dominic Thiem in Saturday's semi-finals, with Tsitsipas set to play Roger Federer.
Friday's Results
Rafael Nadal bt. Stefanos Tsitsipas: 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-5
Alexander Zverev bt. Daniil Medvedev: 6-4, 7-6 (4)
Saturday's Schedule
Federer vs.Tsitsipas, 2 p.m. GMT, 9 a.m. ET
Thiem vs. Zverev, 8 p.m. GMT, 3 p.m. ET
Friday Recap
Nadal dug deep to produce a battling display and beat Tsitsipas in a gruelling encounter at the O2, but it was the defeated man that advanced.
The Spaniard has been confirmed as the season-ending world No. 1, and the icon gave a world-class display to overcome the Greek.
However, it was Tsitsipas who claimed the opening set after a tie-break. Neither player dropped their serve over 12 games, and it was the 21-year-old who edged the shootout 7-4.
Nadal was clearly feeling the pressure, making five unforced errors in the tie-break, but he regained his composure in time to grind out the victory.
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 15: Rafael Nadal of Spain shakes hands with Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece after beating him on Day Six of the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 Arena on November 15, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by TPN/Getty Images)
Tsitsipas continued to operate at a high level. However, Nadal's motivation forced his own game to move up through the gears.
The world No. 6 was unable to force Nadal into a break-point situation during the match, and this was his undoing in defeat.
Both men traded blows in the last two sets, but Nadal grabbed late breaks of serve to help him to a comeback victory.
The marathon match lasted two hours and 52 minutes, and Nadal proved he is still one of the best when facing adversity.
Nadal was presented with the year-end world No. 1 trophy after his win:
Zverev confirmed his place in the last four after a convincing display against Medvedev.
A victory for Medvedev would have seen Nadal advance to play Federer, but Zverev's win allowed Tsitsipas to progress from the group stage.
Zverev broke his opponent's serve in the opening game and held onto the advantage throughout the set.
Medvedev lost his opening two group games and was second-best once again as the champion controlled the tempo.
Zverev closed out the opener but had a tougher time crossing the finish line. Medvedev served 10 aces in the match and took the final set to a tie-break.
However, his serving deserted him at the vital moment in the tie-break, and a double fault helped Zverev advance in straight sets.
ATP World Tour Finals 2019 Results: Roger Federer Eliminates Novak Djokovic
Nov 14, 2019
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 14: Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates victory after his singles match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during Day Five of the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 Arena on November 14, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Roger Federer got the better of Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-3 in Thursday's heavyweight clash at the ATP Tour Finals, with the former advancing into the last four at the expense of the latter.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion was comfortably the better player on the night, as he served impeccably and capitalised on a below-par performance from his rival. It means Federer has a chance to win a seventh ATP Tour Finals title, with Djokovic's year ending in early elimination and disappointment.
Earlier in the day, Matteo Berrettini finished his tournament with an impressive 7-6 (3), 6-3 success over Dominic Thiem. Thiem had already secured his spot in the last four with stunning wins over both Federer and Djokovic.
Here are the results from a memorable day at the O2 Arena in London, some highlights of the play and the schedule for Friday's fixtures.
ATP Tour Finals
Thursday Results
(3) Roger Federer bt. (2) Novak Djokovic: 6-4, 6-3
The early stages of these high-profile contests are often so key, especially in three-set showdowns. Federer was the man who settled the quickest.
Djokovic's two double faults allowed Federer to break and then consolidate, moving 3-1 ahead. From there, he settled into a sensational rhythm on serve and prevented Djokovic from using his exceptional returning skill.
Indeed, the Swiss veteran kept on chipping away on serve and eventually coasted to the set, winning it 6-4. Former player Greg Rusedski provided the numbers behind an almost flawless stanza of accuracy with the ball in hand from Federer:
Masterclass from @rogerfederer 1st set. Served 83 % 1st serves, lost only 3 points on serve all set. Can’t play any better. Brilliant start. Djokovic has to find a way to stay with Federer at this pace or Rafa is end of season number 1.
The Swiss didn't relent in the second set either, as he was quick to seize on some more hesitancy in the Djokovic game.
With a one-set lead intact, Federer was also starting to be more aggressive in his play and constructed this point, which was the foundation for another break of serve in the next game:
At this stage, Djokovic was noticeably demoralised, as even someone as strong as him in return play was unable able to make dent in the 38-year-old's serve. The physical effects of Tuesday's epic clash with Thiem appeared to be taking their toll, too.
Federer, knowing how dangerous Djokovic can be, didn't let up and, to hammer home his dominance on the night, he put the match to bed with another break of serve.
Ben Rothenberg of the New York Times noted the win over Djokovic has been a long time coming for Federer and the Swiss' win was good news for Rafael Nadal:
Roger Federer gets his first win over Novak Djokovic in four years, 6-4, 6-3 to reach the London ATP Finals semifinals.
Djokovic’s loses means that Rafael Nadal will end 2019 as the year-end #1.
There was nothing between the players in the first set and both felt the nerves late on in it, as they each earned breaks of serve. In the tiebreak, Berrettini recovered after previously failing to serve out the match, moving to a 6-1 lead; at the third time of asking, he snatched a set point.
Perhaps with the semi-finals in mind, there wasn't a huge amount of resistance from Thiem in the second stanza. However, Berrettini was a worthy winner and will be delighted to have capped off his memorable year with a victory.
Roger Federer Beats Novak Djokovic to Secure ATP World Tour Finals SF Spot
Nov 14, 2019
Switzerland's Roger Federer returns against Serbia's Novak Djokovic during their men's singles round-robin match on day five of the ATP World Tour Finals tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London on November 14, 2019. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
Roger Federer booked his spot in the ATP World Tour Finals semi-final on Thursday, beating Novak Djokovic in a winner-take-all meeting. Set scores were 6-4, 6-3.
Federer dominated with his serve and barely set a foot wrong all evening. Djokovic, one of the best return men in the sport, never came close to breaking back. The loss means the Serb won't finish the year as World No. 1, with Rafael Nadal taking that spot.
Both had lost to Dominic Thiem, making Thursday's clash a must-win contest.
In the other group, Stefanos Tsitsipas leads the way with two wins, while Nadal and Alexander Zverev have one win each. Daniil Medvedev is winless and will face Zverev on Friday, while Tsitsipas takes on Nadal.
Djokovic started things off with a nervy hold, but after a dominant serve game from Federer, the Serbian started to show the first cracks.
Back-to-back double faults gave Federer the opening he needed, and he converted for the early break. PerMetro's George Bellshaw, it was an odd start to the contest:
The Swiss star would barely be troubled the rest of the set, losing just three total points on serve. Djokovic had no answer for Federer's dominant serve, and the six-time Finals champion wasn't afraid to take risks, hitting an ace on second serve at one point.
He also came to play in the rallies, per tennis writer Jose Morgado:
Looks like Federer found his forehand today. Firing.
He had another look for a break in the seventh game and nearly sealed the set in the ninth, but a poorly placed drop shot allowed Djokovic to pull himself back into the game. He continued to fall well short on Federer's serve, however, and a big ace was a fitting end to the set.
It was a clinical display from the 38-year-old veteran:
He nearly kicked off the second set with another break, but Djokovic dealt with two break chances for a massive hold.
Federer continued to have the upper hand, and in the fifth game of the second set, he quickly built a 40-0 lead. Djokovic saved the first break chance but committed an error on the second, handing all the momentum to his opponent.
Christopher Clarey of theNew York Timesloved his aggression:
Federer hitting through the ball tonight like a man with nothing to lose, and he is now up a set and a break on Novak Djokovic
With the key break under his belt, Federer went back to serving with precision, not giving his opponent any inroads. Djokovic never came close to breaking back, and would give up another break of serve in the final game, capping off a dominant outing for Federer.
The Swiss star continues to defy Father Time, and after his stumble against Thiem, displayed some of the best tennis he has played all year. In this type of form, he has to be considered the favourite for the title.
ATP World Tour Finals 2019 Results: Federer, Thiem Highlight Tuesday Winners
Nov 12, 2019
Dominic Thiem pulled off a thrilling comeback triumph over Novak Djokovic in the group stage of the ATP Tour Finals at the O2 Arena in London on Tuesday.
Thiem fell behind after a tight first set but was able to battle back brilliantly against the Serbian. In the decider, the fifth seed appeared to let his chance of a win slip, as he failed to serve out the match at 6-5 and then fell 4-1 behind in the tiebreak. However, he dug deep to continue his stunning start and reach his first semi-finals in the competition.
Earlier on, Roger Federer got his competition up and running with a win over Matteo Berrettini. The Swiss, who is seeded third in London, was beaten in his opener by Thiem on Sunday but recovered with a 7-6 (2), 6-3 win.
Here are the results and highlights from the third day of the season-ending competition, as well as the schedule for Wednesday's play.
Tuesday Results
(3) Roger Federer bt. (8) Matteo Berrettini: 7-6 (2), 6-3
After Federer suffered a surprise loss to Thiem, the pressure was on to respond against Berrettini.
Early in the match, both players struggled to get a read on the other man's serve. The only break point came at the end of the set, when Federer was able to up the ante. His opponent dug in and forced a tiebreak.
Federer was able to move through the gears and took it 7-2. Berrettini's shoulders did slump a little after that setback, and the 20-time Grand Slam champion was able to race to victory in the second set.
Tennis TV shared some of the best moments from Federer's high-class performance:
Afterward, the man himself said it's strange to lose a match and then play at the same venue a couple of days later.
"It's unusual to lose and come back again," the veteran stated, per Kevin Mitchell of the Guardian. "I did it last year. There's no reason to be too down on yourself. You come here to play three matches. I had a day off, and there are ways to get rid of that loss. I did it hanging out with my kids."
Djokovic and Thiem played out a what will likely be remembered as the match of the tournament to this point.
Both men broke the other once in the first set before they settled in to a tiebreak. Again, there was little between the players, but when Djokovic got his first set point, he was able to take it, with Thiem planting a forehand into the net.
The Live Tennis account summed up a thrilling set:
However, Thiem didn't lie down and was able to catch his opponent napping at the start of the next set, breaking to move 2-0 ahead and then consolidating. The Austrian was nerveless in seeing it out, setting up a decider.
The ATP Media Info account noted both men have fine records in third-set shootouts:
Thiem initially appeared as though he would seize the initiative in the third, as he broke in the first game. However, Djokovic clung on and was able to restore parity at 3-3 before moving 4-3 in front.
The Austrian stayed in touch, and after a brilliant game to break at 5-5, he had the chance to serve for the match in the next game. Nerves clearly got to him, though, as Djokovic showed his champion credentials to force a tiebreak.
In a high-pressure breaker, Djokovic went 4-1 ahead, only to see Thiem string together five consecutive points and give himself two match points. The Austrian took the second of them to earn one of the most dramatic triumphs of his career.
ATP World Tour Finals 2019 Results: Alexander Zverev Shocks Rafael Nadal
Nov 11, 2019
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 11: Alexander Zverev of Germany celebrates in his singles match against Rafael Nadal of Spain during Day Two of the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 Arena on November 11, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
ATP Tour Finals champion Alexander Zverev started the defence of his title in style on Monday, when he beat top seed Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-4.
The German won four games in succession to clinch the first set before an early break in the second set him up for a memorable victory over the 19-time Grand Slam champion.
Earlier in the day, Stefanos Tsitsipas got his competition off to a strong start, as he edged two tight sets against Daniil Medvedev.
Here are the results from Monday's play and a recap of the action, as well as the schedule for Tuesday's matches.
Those in attendance at the O2 Arena in London would have anticipated a tight match between Nadal and Zverev, or perhaps for the former to ease to a comfortable win. However, it was the seventh seed who settled the better.
After sharing the first four games, the German moved through the gears and capitalised on some uncharacteristically sloppy play from his opponent. After grabbing a break to put daylight to Nadal, it was clear Zverev was full of confidence.
Per Tennis TV, the defending champion was able to absorb and respond to anything Nadal threw at him:
After clinching the set, Zverev kept his foot down at the start of the second, taking another early break and continuing his impressive sequence, per Jose Morgado of Record:
Hum.
Zverev with the moral bagel, six consecutive games.
At this point, Nadal had been knocked off his game and he was failing to establish any kind of rhythm against his opponent. Zverev continued to play solid tennis on his own serve and was constantly getting his own returns back into play.
It meant there was never any feeling that Nadal would claw his way into the match and Zverev, who has struggled closing out contests against elite players previously, would have been delighted with the ruthlessness with which he ended the tie.
Per Enrico Maria Riva, Nadal wasn't able to conjure a single break point in the match:
Earlier in the day, Tsitsipas showed little signs of nerves on his first-ever ATP Tour Finals appearance, as he was able to beat Medvedev in a tight encounter.
Both players served brilliantly in the opening set, with a tiebreak following. In it, it was the Greek who played the better tennis and he was able to nudge ahead.
In the second set, Tsitsipas was able to preserve his high standards and produced this excellent volley on his way to levelling the stanza at 2-2:
The Greek had to wait until the ninth game of the set to notch the only break of the match though, as he moved 5-4 in front. Given Medvedev had struggled to cope with his opponent's serve throughout the match, it was no shock to see Tsitsipas serve it out.
Afterward, Tsitsipas played down talk of animosity between the two players; that's after he labelled Medvedev's style "boring" at the Shanghai Masters last month:
Tsitsipas on Medvedev. "Our chemistry definetly is not the best that you can find on tour. (...) But it's not that I hate him. (...) I guess we will not go out to dinner together." pic.twitter.com/HqU4nAr5Sr
On Tuesday, Roger Federer will be under pressure to earn a result after his shock loss on Sunday but will be a big favourite against Matteo Berrettini.
Dominic Thiem, who beat Federer in that encounter, will continue his challenging start to the tournament against Novak Djokovic.
ATP World Tour Finals 2019 Results: Novak Djokovic Wins; Roger Federer Upset
Nov 10, 2019
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 10: Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after his 6-2 6-1 victory against Matteo Berrettini of Italy during Day one of the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 Arena on November 10, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by TPN/Getty Images)
Novak Djokovic kicked off the 2019 ATP World Tour Finals on Sunday with a straight-set win over Matteo Berrettini.
In the evening match at the O2 Arena in London, Dominic Thiem overcame Roger Federer in a hard-fought two-set win.
Rafael Nadal will be among those in action on Monday.
(1) Rafael Nadal vs. (7) Alexander Zverev, 8 p.m. GMT (3 p.m. ET)
Recap
Djokovic needed just 63 minutes to dispatch Berrettini in the opening match of the tournament, which is reserved for the top eight singles players and doubles teams on tour.
The Serb set the tone by winning the first six points of the contest, and he broke the Italian five times over the course of the two sets.
Berrettini was only able to penetrate his opponent's serve once, though he did come out on top in perhaps the best rally in the match:
Thiem came into his match with Federer having won both of their previous meetings in 2019.
He broke the Swiss in the opening game of their contest on the way to a 2-0 lead, though Federer quickly hit back to level proceedings. Thiem broke again late on in the set after a poor forehand and a long backhand from Federer at 30-30.
Sports journalist Uche Amako praised the Austrian at the end of the first set:
Excellent set of tennis from Dominic Thiem. He dominated Roger Federer from the back of the court. The Swiss unable to get enough free points on serve & it cost him. Uphill task now. Federer needs to win this to avoid having to beat Djokovic later in the week #NittoATPFinals
Novak Djokovic of Serbia hits a return during his men's singles third round match against John Isner of the US at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai on October 10, 2019. (Photo by NOEL CELIS / AFP) (Photo by NOEL CELIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Novak Djokovic marched into the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters on Thursday after overcoming John Isner in straight sets at Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena.
The top seed had to work hard in the first set before moving through the gears in the second and securing a 7-5, 6-3 win over the American.
Later in the day, Roger Federer overcame a sloppy opening set to get past David Goffin. The Swiss former world No. 1 will face Alexander Zverev, who held off a late comeback attempt from Andrey Rublev and triumphed 6-0, 7-6 (4)in the last fixture of the third round.
There was also a victory for Dominic Thiem, who comfortably beat Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-3, 6-4,
Shanghai Masters - Thursday Results
(1) Novak Djokovic bt. John Isner: 7-5, 6-3
(2) Roger Federer bt. (13) David Goffin: 7-6 (6), 6-4
The big challenge for Djokovic on Thursday was always going to be getting breaks of serve against the 6'10" Isner. In the end, the top seed went about his task in different ways in each set.
Unsurprisingly, the first was dominated by the serving player, with neither man giving up much. The first time any game went to deuce was when Isner held to make it 4-4, although it was a sign that Djokovic was beginning to figure out his opponent's serve.
Eventually, after moving 6-5 in front, the defending champion pounced and extended his excellent recent run of winning sets:
Having struck late in the opener, Djokovic was on the front foot early in the second stanza, taking his second break point of the match to go 2-0 up. Metro's George Bellshaw was impressed with what he was seeing from the 16-time Grand Slam winner:
After consolidating further to go three games ahead, it was always going to be too much of an ask for Isner, who was unable to make any dent on the world No. 1's serve.
Like Djokovic, Federer was also made to dig deep at times in his match, as Goffin proved to be a resolute opponent.
Of the two players, it was Goffin who appeared the more likely to break early on. In the latter stages of the set, when Federer typically comes into his own, it was the Belgian who played the better tennis too.
Goffin was profligate with the chances he created. The 13th seed had the chance to serve for the set and had five set points throughout the opening stanza. After they had all slipped by, Federer then took the first available to him in the tiebreak.
Tennis journalist Simon Cambers commented on a poor opening to the match for the No. 2 seed:
After that, normal service resumed for Federer in the second set, when he was much stronger on serve and grabbed the one necessary break needed to take the match.
Tennis TV reflected on some impressive figures after the win:
His reward for a gritty third-round display is a quarter-final clash with Zverev in what has the potential to be the best fixture of the next round.
The German showcased some of his best and worst traits in a straight-set win over Rublev, which began with a bagel scoreline running in his favour and alarm bells ringing for his Russian rival.
However, the second set ended in a tiebreak despite Zverev leading 3-0 and 5-2 at times, losing four of the final six games before eking out a victory with back-to-back breaks, via Tennis TV:
He and Rublev are known to be good friends on the circuit, but less forgiving opponents would have punished Zverev after he appeared to let up slightly close to the finish line.
Elsewhere, Thiem was a routine winner against Basilashvili and appears set to continue the impressive form he showed last week to win the China Open.
The man the Austrian beat in that final, Stefanos Tsitsipas, is also into the last eight in Shanghai. Tennis writer Bastien Fachan commented on what has likely been a satisfying couple of days for the Greek:
In the span of just 28 hours, Tsitsipas avenged three of his most painful losses of 2019: two against Auger-Aliassime (Indian Wells, Queen's) and one against Hurkacz (Montreal).
He now gets to face Djokovic, who defeated him in the Madrid final.#RolexSHMasters
Joining the other winners in the last eight is Medvedev, who continued his strong recent play with a battling win over Pospisil.
There was little between the two players, but the third seed was able to play the better tennis at the crunch moments late in each set.
Shanghai Rolex Masters 2019: Roger Federer Wins and Full Results from Tuesday
Oct 8, 2019
SHANGHAI, CHINA - OCTOBER 08: Roger Federer of Switzerland returns a shot against Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain on day four of 2019 Rolex Shanghai Masters at Qi Zhong Tennis Centre on October 8, 2019 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
Roger Federer got his Shanghai Masters campaign off to a winning start on Tuesday, as he beat Albert Ramos-Vinolas in straight sets at Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena.
The Swiss, seeded second at the competition, flew out of the traps and had far too much quality for his opponent in a 6-2, 7-6 (5) victory.
The clash of the day saw Andy Murray let Fabio Fognini off the hook in a thrilling contest, as he twice missed chances to serve out the match in the third set; the Italian eventually came through in a deciding tiebreak. U.S. Open finalist Daniil Medvedev also progressed, as he coasted to a win over Cameron Norrie.
Earlier in the day, ninth seed Gael Monfils was dumped out by Hubert Hurkacz in straight sets.
Selected Tuesday Results
(1) Roger Federer bt. Albert Ramos-Vinolas: 6-2, 7-6 (5)
When Federer is playing at his best, there's often little an opposition player can do to halt him. That's exactly what happened to Ramos-Vinolas in the first set on Tuesday.
From the off, the No. 3 player in the world was able to dominate his opponent from the back of the court. Federer also picked his moments to come in at the right time, showcasing trademark finesse at the net:
After romping to the first set, the second was a much tighter encounter.
That meant the Spaniard was able to push Federer into a tiebreak, and at one stage he led 4-1 in it. However, the 20-time Grand Slam champion was able to win six out of the next seven points to ensure the contest didn't go to a decider.
Medvedev didn't have any issues in his match with Norrie. George Bellshaw of Metro noted the possible consequences of the loss for the Briton:
The standout match of the day on paper always looked likely to be between Murray and Fognini, and the duo engaged in a gripping battle.
Neither player slipped into their rhythm early in the first set. However, after finding himself a break down, the Italian was able to string together some form, recovering to get the set back on serve and then edging the tiebreak.
Murray, who is still working back to full fitness after hip surgery earlier in the year, had to dig deep in the second stanza and was able to frustrate his opponent with some canny play.
The three-time Grand Slam champion clinched the set to take the match into a decider. Despite missing most of the year due to injury, Murray showed no signs of fading at the start of the third:
At the end of the decider, Murray missed two huge opportunities to win the match. The Scot broke his opponent twice to go 5-4 and 6-5 up, only to fail to serve out the contest on both occasions, giving Fognini the chance to win the match in a tiebreak.
Per Bellshaw, the match was becoming tense for both players at this stage:
Having let those two huge chances slip through his fingers, it was no shock to see Murray looking flat in the tiebreak. In the end, Fognini was the superior player in the breaker and advanced.
Meanwhile, it was a disappointing day for Monfils, as he was well below his best in the loss to Hurkacz. The Frenchman was slow getting into the game, and although he improved in the second set, the Pole was stronger on the critical points.
On Wednesday, top seed and defending champion Novak Djokovic will get his tournament under way against Denis Shapovalov, while rising stars Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas will also be in action.
