Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas both delivered impressive performances at the Shanghai Masters on Friday, overcoming previous defeats to advance to the third round with straight-set victories.
World number five Medvedev faced Brazil’s Thiago Seyboth Wild, whom he had previously lost to in a shocking first-round exit at the 2023 French Open. On Friday, Medvedev came from behind to win 7-5, 7-5. Seyboth Wild started strong, breaking Medvedev to take a 3-1 lead, but the Russian fought back, securing a critical break in the 11th game of the first set to clinch it 7-5.
The second set mirrored the first, with Seyboth Wild taking an early lead again, but Medvedev responded to earn another crucial break. After the match, Medvedev praised Seyboth Wild’s performance, stating, “It was not easy… some shots were unbelievable.”
Tsitsipas, who previously lost to Kei Nishikori in August, was eager to show his resilience. The Greek, now ranked 12th after dropping out of the ATP top 10, fought through a tightly contested match to win 7-6 (8/6), 6-4. The first set concluded with a tense tiebreaker that Tsitsipas described as a pivotal moment for his confidence.
In the second set, 34-year-old Nishikori, dealing with injury issues, took a medical time-out but struggled to regain his momentum, allowing Tsitsipas to win four of the last five games to secure the match.
The day also featured an upset, with world number nine Casper Ruud falling to 91st-ranked Aleksandar Vukic in straight sets. Vukic expressed pride in his performance, stating he stuck to his game plan despite nerves.
Additionally, American players Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul progressed to the third round without much difficulty, with Shelton defeating Canada’s Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 7-5, and Paul taking out Italy’s Fabio Fognini 6-1, 6-3. Veteran Frenchman Gael Monfils will face compatriot Ugo Humbert in the next round after defeating Argentina’s Sebastian Baez.
[Source: NDTV Sports]
