ecns [expanded by feedex.net]: Djokovic, Nadal through to 3rd round at Shanghai Masters

ecns [expanded by feedex.net]

ecns

Djokovic, Nadal through to 3rd round at Shanghai Masters
http://www.ecns.cn/2013/10-10/83710.shtml
Oct 10th 2013, 06:45

2013-10-10 15:45 Xinhua Web Editor: Mo Hong'e


Defending champion Novak Djokovic and reigning world number one Rafael Nadal both got through to the third round of the Shanghai Rolex Masters with easy victories on Wednesday.


Djokovic, who just won his fourth China Open in Beijing, opened his Shanghai Rolex Masters title defence with a comfortable win over Spaniard Marcel Granollers 6-2, 6-0 in just 71 minutes. The Serb also improved to a 3-0 ATP Head2Head mark against Granollers.


Coming up next for the Serb will be Italian Fabio Fognini, who upset 16th seed Tommy Robredo.


Djokovic holds a 5-0 ATP Head2Head advantage over Fognini but gave all thumbs to the next opponent at the post-match press ocnference. "There's a reason for where he is now, he's had a great summer, he's obviously feeling much more comfortable on the court," said Djokovic of the Italian, who won his first and second ATP World Tour titles this season.


In the battle of the yearending world No.1, Djokovic's long-time rival Nadal, who just reclaimed the No.1 spot at the China Open last week, was also hardly troubled in his opener in Shanghai.


He just needed 58 minutes to send Alexandr Dolgopolov from Ukraine crashing 6-3, 6-2.


"The serve worked great. Something that didn't happen last week. That's very important thing. I don't know, maybe the ball and the court help me little bit more here for the serve. Hopefully that's a real thing, not a thing of one day. We'll see tomorrow. I have another tough opponent in front," Nadal said afterwards.


Elsewhere, former world number one Roger Federer made a welcome return to singles action as he defeated Andreas Seppi 6-4, 6-3 in the second round.


The Swiss was playing his first singles match since a fourth-round exit to Tommy Robredo at the US Open and improved to a 36-12 match record in the season.


Federer seemed to have the jitters at the beginning as the Italian broke for a 3-2 lead in opening set, but Federer responded immediately to level the set and saved a break point in the seventh game before breaking Seppi to take it.


An early break in the second set proved decisive as Federer prevailed in 74 minutes. He goes on to face Gael Monfils.


"Conditions are pretty quick here so you have to be focused on your own serve. If you're not careful, you can be broken rather quickly," said Federer, now ranked 7th in the world.


Talking about his next opponent, he said: "It's always very entertaining playing Gael. I love the guy, the way he plays, how he entertains the crowd, shot selection, the way he executes as well. It's unreal really."


Federer is looking for a big performance in Shanghai to help secure his place in the eight-man field at the ATP World Tour Finals. A six-time winner of the season finale, including twice when it was held in Shanghai in 2006-07, Federer is currently seventh in the ATP Race To London.


In an earlier match, Juan Martin del Potro survived a scare and battled from a set down to defeat German Philipp Kohlschreiber 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4).


The Argentine missed the opportunity to serve out the match at 5-4 in the third set, but regrouped in the tie-break to prevail in two hours and five minutes.


There were also second round wins for third seed David Ferrer of Spain, 4th seed Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic and French 7th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.





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