SHANGHAI - Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer notched up contrasting victories to reach the Shanghai Masters quarter-finals on Thursday while David Ferrer fought back from a set down to knock out Andy Murray.
World number one Djokovic laboured to a 6-3 4-6 6-4 victory over plucky Kazakh Mikhail Kukushkin who matched the Serb shot for shot for most of the third round match before being overpowered in the third set. Two-time champion Djokovic broke Kukushkin for a 5-3 lead before closing out the first set but the Kazakh roared back into contention to stretch the contest to a decider.
Djokovic broke his opponent in the fifth game of the third set to extend his winning streak in China to 27 matches and seal a quarter-final clash with Ferrer, who beat Murray 2-6 6-1 6-2 earlier on Thursday. Spaniard Ferrer will replace Murray in ninth spot in the race for the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London. There are five berths still up for grabs in the eight-man tournament.
Murray, ranked 11th, had little trouble in the first set and looked poised for a quarter-finals berth, but Ferrer staged a brilliant comeback, breaking the Briton twice to take the second and level the match. There was no let up in the final set either as the Spaniard raced to a 5-2 lead and raised his arms in celebration when twice champion Murray buried a return into the net.
“I needed to play my best tennis today,” Ferrer told the ATP World Tour website (www.atpworldtour.com). “I think this match was very important for both players. Today was a good victory.”
Murray, who joined world number two Rafa Nadal, Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka and U.S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori in exiting the tournament before the quarter-final stage, was generous in his praise for Ferrer. “He barely missed a ball for about a set and a half,” said Murray. “I couldn’t find a way around him. He played just great tennis, especially the last set and a half.”
Murray said he had not made up his mind yet about where he would compete next as he bids to qualify for the ATP Finals for the seventh successive year. Federer had little problem taming Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4 6-2 to set up a clash with Frenchman Julien Benneteau who overcame American Jack Sock in straight sets.
After squandering five break points, Federer finally broke his opponent in the 10th game to win the opening set and raced to a 5-2 lead in the second before sealing his victory when Bautista Agut’s backhanded return crashed into the net. Czech Tomas Berdych boosted his hopes of securing one of the five remaining places in London with a 6-3 6-4 victory over Ivo Karlovic, who hit 19 aces in the third-round clash.
Berdych will replace U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic, beaten by Karlovic in the opening round in Shanghai, in sixth place in the race to London if he beats Gilles Simon in the quarter-finals on Friday.