By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Novak Djokovic launched his Shanghai title defense sweeping Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-3 to stretch his winning streak to six matches.
Photo credit: Rolex Shanghai Masters Facebook
Sprinting from sideline-to-sideline, Novak Djokovic zapped a running forehand down the line in the final game.
The world No. 1 launched his Shanghai title defense with crackling strikes and a convincing closing kick.
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Djokovic did not drop serve dismissing Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-3 to stretch his winning streak to six matches at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
Empowered by his run to the Tokyo title last week, Djokovic has won 12 consecutive sets as he plays for his 34th career Masters championship.
Playing with relaxed intensity, Djokovic served 74 percent, won 31 of 35 first-serve points and stamped six love holds in a controlled 70-minute victory.
The four-time Shanghai champion improved to 33-4 at the Rolex Shanghai Masters setting up a round of 16 meeting with American John Isner.
The 16th-seeded Isner pumped 19 aces in a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Lucas Pouille.
Driving his returns down the center of the court, Djokovic forced the Canadian to counter off his back foot. Shapovalov scattered a forehand off his back foot to face break point in the eighth game.
Luring his opponent forward with a dropper, Djokovic broke for 5-3 when Shapovalov's backhand trampolined off the tape and settled wide. The top-seeded Serbian was superior in longer rallies winning 28 of 40 points that spanned five shots or more.
Dominant on serve, Djokovic stamped four love holds breezing through 16 consecutive points on serve to wrap a near-pristine opening set in 32 minutes.
The bad news for Shapovalov: he was not making any inroads on the Serbian's serve.
The worse news: Djokovic was 205-6 when winning the opening set in a Masters 1000 hard-court event.
Mixing in the slice backhand a bit more, Shapovalov earned his first break point in the second set. Djokovic denied it winning a long rally then deadened a beautiful drop volley winner for 1-1.
A shoulder injury forced Djokovic to retire from his US Open fourth round match vs. Stan Wawrinka last month.
The 16-time Grand Slam champion said he's feeling pain-free now.
"It wasn't specifically about one shot or something that caused it," Djokovic told the media in Shanghia. "It was just over the time maybe the posture and the shoulder position and so forth. But once we now corrected that, it seems to be fine.
"But obviously it still needs, I guess, another couple of weeks to really get back 100% of also not being concerned about it, because right now I don't feel pain playing, but, you know, there is still being cautious about it, you know, and still working daily a lot on the preparation and rehab and recovery of the shoulder and strengthening of the shoulder. So there is a lot of hours spent on making sure that I'm able to play."
The left-hander dragged a forehand wide to face a break point in the fifth game. Taking his opponent's time away, Djokovic drew another error earning the first break of the second set for 3-2. Djokovic won eight straight points extending his lead to 4-2.
The Wimbledon winner broke again to seal the win raising his 2019 record to 47-8.
Dominic Thiem topped Pablo Carreno Busta 7-6(3), 6-3 in the evening's final match. The fourth-seeded Thiem will play 15th-seeded Nikoloz Basilashvili next.