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DAY 7 PREVIEW: Shanghai Regulars Including 4-Time Champion Back on Deck |
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| October 7, 2024 | by Vivienne Christie |
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Adapting to circumstances is a regular requirement for a top-level tennis player. And while that often means making the mid-match changes that can turn a losing performance into a winning one, there can also be many tweaks required in scheduling.
Players have managed superbly as that scenario has arisen at the 2024 Rolex Shanghai Masters due to rain in recent days. As competitors prepared for challenging opponents, they also understood that Mother Nature plays a part.
After rescheduled second-round matches were completed at Qi Zhong Tennis Stadium on Monday, day seven will see competitors in third-round action. This includes No.4 seed Novak Djokovic, along with seeds including No.7 Taylor Fritz, No.9 Grigor Dimitrov and No.10 Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The Greek will feature in the opening match of the day session on the Stadium Court, where he faces 74th-ranked Frenchman Alexandre Muller for the first time in his career.
Fritz will follow in a fascinating meeting with Japanese qualifier Yosuke Watanuki, whom he also faced at the Rolex Shanghai Masters last year. The American required three sets to overcome the world No.336's on that occasion and expects a similar challenge when they compete again.
"If he plays like he played here last year, then it's going to be really scary," said Fritz, noting Watanuki's potent shot-making ability. "If he does that, then, again, it's going to be one of those matches where I just have to be solid and do the best I can do. Because if he's just firing off winners like he was here last year, then it's going to be really tough."
Dimitrov also faces an intriguing rematch when he takes on Australia's Alexei Popyrin. The Australian is the winner of two of the pair's three previous encounters, including when they last met in the recent Montreal Masters and he saved a trio of match points.
"It's going to be fun. We had a good battle in Montreal, a solid couple matches there, he helped me win the tournament," smiled Popyrin, who went on lift a maiden ATP Masters 1000 trophy at the event.
Dimitrov has a similar view. "I'm looking forward to it," said the 33-year-old Bulgarian following a three-set win over Zizou Bergs in his opening match. "Of course (Popyrin is) a very dangerous opponent. He hits through nearly every ball.
"But as I said, today a lot of weapons checked out very well, and I was able to control the game very nicely, actually, and I was putting myself in a position where I could be very dangerous."
No.14 seed Ben Shelton is another player aiming to impose with his weapons when the big-serving American faces Robert Carballes Baena. Shelton, a Rolex Shanghai Masters quarterfinalist in his 2023 debut at the tournament, claimed victory over the Spaniard in their only other match at Auckland in January.
Frances Tiafoe, who defeated China's Zhou Yi to claim his first opening-round win in Shanghai since 2017 on Monday, hopes to continue winning form against Roman Safiullin, a second-round winner over Alexander Bublik.
The resurgent David Goffin, already a winner over accomplished opponents in James Duckworth and No.15 seed Lorenzo Musetti, has the chance to build on his impressive form against American Marcos Giron.
The night session sees proven Rolex Shanghai Masters performers return to the court.
Four-time champion Novak Djokovic, who will face Italian No.28 seed Flavio Cobolli, is relishing his time at a venue that's delivered four of his 99 career titles.
"Today on the court was marvellous. To experience the introduction and the support and love from Chinese fans in this way is exactly the reason why I came," he said following his opening-round victory over Alex Michelsen.
No.2 seed Alexander Zverev, completing a big day of action on Tuesday against Dutch player Tallon Griekspoor, agrees. "It's a great tournament," said the 2019 finalist of his time in Shanghai. "It's nice to be here. It's just a very modern and very nice place to be."
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