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NO SPOILERS 🎥

If you don't want to see the results yet, and want to catch up with the highlights, stop scrolling now! (If these links have been taken down by the ATP, tap the ‘view in browser’ button at the top of this email and I will usually have updated the links):

Federer 🎥 Bautista Agut

Cecchinato 🎥 Djokovic

De Minaur 🎥 Zverev

Nishikori 🎥 Querrey

Short Official Highlights

RESULTS 🎾

💥 = Beatdown \\ 🤕 = Injury \\ ‼️ = Upset

Featured Matches:

Federer d Bautista Agut (RBA): 6-3, 2-6, 6-4

Much has been, and will be, made of Federer’s form in his last two matches. Medvedev and Bautista Agut are two players whom most expected the Swiss to beat relatively comfortably (he had won 14 sets in a row vs RBA prior to this match). Yet these two challengers were always going to be underrated on the fast Shanghai surface that so suits both of their game styles. Yes, Federer did lose focus and looked quite error prone for portions of the 2nd, and parts of the 3rd, sets (similar to yesterday). But the Swiss has, over the course of the last 48 hours, figured out two consecutively tricky opponents, by raising his game when it mattered. Shanghai is probably Bautista Agut’s most suited surface/conditions of the whole year. His no-spin, consistent groundstrokes shoot through the glass-like Shanghai courts like lightning, and have troubled plenty of very good players over the years (beating Djokovic in straight sets in 2016).

The beginning of the first set featured Federer looking a little uncertain in what strategy he wanted to employ. But facing, and saving, an early break point at 1-1 seemed to galvanise him, and for the rest of the set he looked imperious. The Swiss broke RBA’s serve to lead 3*-1 and was dominating with a mixture of excellent net play and commanding serving. Simply, Federer took his one opportunity to break serve, RBA did not.

The 2nd set was a completely different story. Federer was broken 3 times in one set in Shanghai for the first time ever, and RBA started to look very dangerous off both wings, comfortably taking the set and levelling the match. The stark difference between the 1st and 2nd set came down to two things. The 1st was Federer’s serve and RBA’s return. The former seemed to lose a little pop despite landing a high number of 1st serves in (79%), and the latter was excellent throughout the set, with RBA constantly putting Federer on the back foot from the 2nd ball of the rally. The 2nd factor was simply that RBA took his chances (3/3 on break points) and Federer did not (1/4 on break points).

On to a decider and Federer, who had possibly been too conservative off his 1st serve in that 2nd set (landing 79% in but only winning 47% of those points), changed strategy by hitting much bigger off that initial shot. This paid dividends, losing a bit of accuracy (landing a reduced 63% of 1st serves in), but gaining in 1st serve points won (88%). This allowed the Swiss to be much more comfortable in his own service games, only facing one break point in the set, and gave Federer more freedom to take chances on his opponents serve. A brilliant return game from Federer at 4-4 proved decisive, with some excellent punched backhand returns doing irrevocable damage to RBA’s serve. Some will be critical about Federer’s form, being taken to three sets in his two opening matches, but this ignores the quality of his opponents. If you manage to keep Federer on court long enough these days, he will have more pronounced lulls than earlier in his career, that is a fact. But he is still able to raise his game when it counts, which is all that really matters. The one concern? Fitness/tiredness going into his next match vs, an in-form, Nishikori.

Key 📊’s

1st Set: Federer won 72% (13/18) of 1st serve points and 83% (10/12)😳 of 2nd serve points. Excellent serving performance, mixed with some poor RBA returning, early in the match.

2nd Set: Federer was only at 47% first serve points won and 0% second serve points won😬.

2nd Set: RBA was 3/3 on break point conversion, Federer 1/4.

3rd Set: Federer’s serve dialled back in, winning 88% of 1st serve points and 70% on 2nd serve. Went for a little more off first serve at expense of 1st serve in (63% in vs 79% in in 2nd set). Clever switch-up which allowed more risk in return games.

🎾

Djokovic d Cecchinato: 6-4, 6-0

A very good performance from Novak, who despite cutting a very frustrated figure for much of the first set, always looked like the player in control of the match.

The opening set featured some very gutsy shotmaking from Cecchinato, who fought off the first 6 break points he faced with lots of his usual flair off both wings. Seeing so many early chances fly by clearly got under Djokovic’s skin, but the Serb did a good job of keeping calm when it mattered, saving two of his own break points, and finally converting his 7th break opportunity for a 4*-3 lead. That Cecchinato would only go on to win one more game over the course of the rest of the match should tell you plenty about how well Djokovic started playing.

The 2nd set was the Novak show, featuring booming return winners, wall-like defence, and some fantastic cross-court forehands that really took advantage of how fast the court is playing in Shanghai. That forehand wing has looked excellent for the Serb so far this week, continuing where he left off after the US Open win. Djokovic started crushing his opponents serve, winning a staggering 65% of 1st serve return points and 67% on 2nd serve return. An increasingly battered and bruised Cecchinato looked frustrated after losing his serve for the 2nd time in the set, and never looked likely to repeat his earlier break point heroics. Novak continued to rub salt in the wound by looking impenetrable on serve, landing a ludicrous 93% of his 1st serves in and losing just one of those points throughout the set. Great signs for the Serb.

Key 📊’s

1st Set: Cecchinato saved the first 6 out 7 break points. Really gutsy play for the majority of them. This was the only reason this set was close. Novak the better player across every other category.

Novak served very well overall, landing 81% of 1st serves in and winning 85% of those points.

2nd Set: Djokovic returned brilliantly: winning 65% of all return points.

Also:

Edmund d Jarry: 7-6, 6-3

Nishikori d Querrey : 7-6(7), 6-4

A.Zverev d De Minaur : 6-1, 6-4

Anderson d Tsitsipas : 6-4, 7-6(1)

Coric d Del Potro : 7-5, Ret’d (🤕 = Delpo, knee injury, info below in ‘Extra’s’)

Ebden d Gojowczyk: 6-2, 6-3 💥

SHOTS OF THE DAY 😮

— This may be close to the line from Federer, but he gets so much net clearance, and is moving back inside the court as he hits it, meaning it ends up as a safe but aggressive winner.

— Outrageous forehand flick from Federer. Off a deep, powerful shot from RBA.

— Nice touch from Fed.

— Another one.

— Impressive from RBA to get this kind of control (especially given how flat his backhand is) on the full run.

— Great way to break serve in the 2nd set from RBA. Takes the ball so flat and early, Fed has no time to recover back to the centre of the court.

— Federer absolutely crushed this backhand. Abbreviated, punched follow-through.

— Federer hit three of these blocked, deep returns to gain the decisive break in the 3rd set. That 4-4 return game was a big, and necessary, step up in level from Fed.

— Cecchinato showing why he has one of the best single handers’ in the game.

— Anything you can do…

— That 1st tweener from Cecchinato was incredible. The 2nd one… not so much.

— Great touch from Novak. No one plays this shot better.

— Novak absolutely laying waste to Cecchinato’s 2nd serve in the second set.

— Amazing forehand on the run from Novak.

— Nishikori (vs Querrey) was SO good in the last few points of the 1st set tiebreaker.

— What a punched, backhand pass from Anderson (vs Tsitsipas).

INTERVIEW & PRESS BEST BITS 🎤

Federer post-win: (Video)

“He (Bautista Agut) was great, he was hitting a very clean ball, and I didn’t know what to do to get through him. I tried different things again like yesterday and it worked.” Source

“Like yesterday I had to see whether consistency was the right strategy or if I needed to take chances and come forward, and once again it was taking my chances and some big cuts at the ball that made the difference today.”

Federer on his next opponent:

“I’m very happy to see Kei (Nishikori) back at this level. Gonna be a great match.”

Djokovic post-win: (Video)

“I'm really pleased with the way I have been using my serve accurately and effectively in the first two matches, which is very important.” Source

“I was making him play always an extra shot. I was aggressive when I needed to be. The second set was perfect, really. I'm really glad to be able to finish the match the way I did.” Source

“I'm going to try to do everything I can to get to No. 1,” said Djokovic. “That's probably ‘the’ biggest goal at the end of the season.” Source

Zverev post-win: (Video)

“I thought I played well from start to finish, like yesterday.”

“I haven’t played by best in the last few months but I’ve been training really hard, despite still being a little bit sick, and hopefully this tournament can show how hard I’ve been working.”

ORDER OF PLAY - QUARTER-FINALS ⏰

Match to watch: 🔥

(Yesterdays predictions: 7/8 ✔️)

—

CENTRE

— (1pm local, 6am UK, 12am EST) —

🇩🇪A.Zverev vs 🇬🇧Edmund (H2H: 3-0)

Prediction: Zverev in 3

🇷🇸Djokovic vs 🇿🇦Anderson (H2H: 6-1) 🔥

Prediction: Djokovic in 3

— NB 6pm (11am UK, 5am EST) —

🇭🇷Coric vs 🇦🇺Ebden (1st Meeting)

Prediction: Coric in 3

🇨🇭Federer vs 🇯🇵Nishikori (H2H: 5-2) 🔥

Prediction: Federer in 3

EXTRAS 🔍📊🎤

On Monday, there won't be a single 🇫🇷Frenchman in the top 20 for the first time since 2006.

Federer broken 3 times in a set for the first time ever in Shanghai (2nd set).

(Credit to Trenton Jocz for this stat)

Federer on Rafa helping out the flood victims in Majorca:

“I asked Rafa if I could help with anything. What he is doing is inspiring.”

After beating Querrey today, Nishikori has made it to his first hardcourt Masters quarterfinal since 2017 in Miami. Pretty amazing considering how good Kei is on hard courts. Kei is also up to No.9 in the Race to London.

— Shanghai courts getting quicker as the tournament progresses. This occurs due to the sand used in the paint getting worn away progressively by use (players feet + balls), therefore producing less friction between the ball and court. Interestingly, despite many players saying this is the fastest year ever conditions wise, the CPI (court speed index) is actually lower overall than last year (42).

Djokovic likely not playing next years Davis Cup:

“I just feel like the date of the Davis Cup is really bad, especially for the top players. Between the two, I will prioritise the World Team Cup, because that's a competition of ATP.” Source

[Matt: This is terrible news for Gerard Pique and the new Davis Cup. So far both Federer and Djokovic have all but confirmed they will not play next year. If Nadal also skips it, the inaugural edition of the new Davis Cup will find it very hard not to take a hard, initial loss, thereby making it harder to fulfil its investment criteria for subsequent years (the Kosmos investment is staggered and performance based). One also wonders if Federer and Djokovic getting closer during the Laver Cup has influenced Novak’s decision on this. Federer, by way of his and Tony Godsick’s agency Team 8, has a reciprocal interest with the ATP and their World Team Cup (the direct competitor to the ITF’s Davis Cup). The ATP vs ITF war is getting messier and messier by the day. The ATP appears to be winning the early skirmishes.]

— The fall that ended Del Potro’s tournament. Looks like he just fell hard on the front of his right kneecap. Probably (and hopefully) just an impact injury like a bone bruise but knowing Delpo’s history we should all form a prayer circle anyway.

Update on his knee.

— RBA also had a pretty nasty fall.

LOL 😂

— Bourgue absolutely decimating his racquet, and the fence, at the Tashkent Challenger. 5/10 for the smashes but 9/10 for the throw. Source

— TFW you suddenly remember you can’t play on clay for another 4 months.

(Thiem’s inner monologue: “Fack dis sheet”)

— Mini Federer in the making.

— When Kyrgios won’t stop trolling your tweets.

(GIF Source = doublefault28)

GAME, SET, MATCH 👋

— The Racquet is created, and written, by Matt.

— You can find me on Twitter here.

See you tomorrow for Quarter-Finals Day in Shanghai!