By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, October 7, 2019
Wild card Andy Murray rallied past Juan Ignacio Londero 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 setting up a Shanghai second-round showdown vs. Monte-Carlo champion Fabio Fognini.
Photo credit: Mike Frey/Rolex Shanghai Masters Facebook
Turnover at the top of British tennis is coming.
And Andy Murray is continuing his comeback charge.
More: Federer on Power to Inspire
The three-time Shanghai champion stormed past Juan Ignacio Londero 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 into the Rolex Shanghai Masters second round.
Wild card Murray, who underwent hip resurfacing surgery in January, scored his first singles win after dropping the opening set since the 2018 US Open.
It was Murray's first Masters 1000 victory since May of 2017.
Murray's movement and serve were key components to the win as he cracked 10 aces and denied seven of 10 break points in raising his Shanghai record to 23-3.
Argentine qualifier Londero hit 47 winners compared to 24 for the Scot and frequently forced the issue with his topspin forehand. Londero gave Murray a dose of his own medicine transitioning from defense to offense with a clever topspin forehand to wrong-foot the Scot finishing with a deft drop volley to break for 3-2.
Murray double-faulted away a second break 5-2 and Londero closed the first set in 46 minutes.
Jamming a return into the body, Murray rattled out an error to break for a 2-0 second-set lead. A slick-serve and volley winner helped Murray hold for 4-1.
The Scot slid a wristed forehand between the wickets then ripped a return collecting the second set with his second break.
Talking to his team between points in the third set, an energized Murray zapped a diagonal return scoring the first break of the final set for 3-1.
Londero, who arrived in Shanghai with a 26-2 record when winning the opening set, was not done.
The lithe Londero lashed a forehand return winner down the line breaking back for 2-3.
Scrambling behind the baseline, a streaking Murray slashed a brilliant running forehand winner erupting in a lion's roar to cap the third straight break for 4-2.
Serving for the second round at 5-3, Murray staved off double break point belting his 10th ace out wide to erase the second break point. Murray told Londero "good fight" at the post-match handshake after wrapping up a comeback win in two hours, 18 minutes.
Murray will meet Monte-Carlo champion Fabio Fognini in round today.
The 10th-seeded Italian did not face a break point carving up Sam Querrey 6-4, 6-2 in 63 minutes.
Former world No. 1 Murray advanced on a day Frenchman Jeremy Chardy swept Kyle Edmund 6-4, 7-6 (3) handing the former Australian Open semifinalist his sixth straight defeat.
As a result, world No. 42 Edmund, who earned his last victory over Nick Kyrgios at the Rogers Cup back in August, will lose the British No. 1 ranking.
Qualifier Cameron Norrie or 43rd-ranked Dan Evans will succeed Edmund as the British No. 1 depending on results this week. Evans fell in Shanghai qualifying. Norrie surprised Gilles Simon 7-5, 6-2 converting five of 11 break points.
The 64th-ranked Norrie takes on US Open finalist Daniil Medvedev next.
It was a great day for Canada.
Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil pumped 11 aces and won all 33 of his first-serve points upsetting Diego Schwartzman 7-6(2), 6-2. Pospisil will play Joao Sousa in round two.
Left-hander Denis Shapovalov exploited quick court conditions conquering Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 6-2.
"He's a really tough player to play against," Shapovalov said of Tiafoe. "We had some really good points today. I think the match was great today. I think I played really well today. So I'm really happy to beat a guy like Frances. It's a really big confidence-booster."
Shapovalov won 27 of 29 first-serve points and did not face a break point advancing to a second-round meeting with world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who soared to his 76th career championship in his Tokyo debut.
"He's definitely in pretty good form winning a 500 [title]," Shapovalov said of Djokovic. "I've lost to him a couple of times before so for me it's a match with nothing to lose. I'm just going to enjoy myself. It's just another chance to play a great champion like him so I'm really excited for the match."
Albert Ramos-Vinolas earned his first hard-court win over Marin Cilic since the 2011 Shanghai, 6-4, 6-4, setting up a second-round showdown vs. 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer.