| October 9, 2024 | by Vivienne Christie |
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Jannik Sinner is showing leadership qualities in more ways than one in a career-defining season. Whether it's with his match wins, tournament titles or his world No.1 ranking, the Italian tops every category on tour. And now another milestone campaign is taking shape.
With a straight-sets win over Ben Shelton in the Rolex Shanghai Masters on Wednesday, the Italian maintained his streak of reaching quarterfinals in each of the 14 tournaments he has contested this year.
Following wins over Taro Daniel and Tomas Martin Etcheverry this year in Shanghai, the 23-year-old gained a revenge of sorts as he claimed a straight-sets win over Ben Shelton in the fourth round.
Achieved in one hour and 24 minutes, the 6-4 7-6(1) victory reversed the result of the American's win over Sinner at the same stage in Shanghai last year.
"(I'm) happy how I handled this situation, it's obviously a position where I have been last year, and where I am right now, it's different," said Sinner, now a winner of 62 matches in 2024.
Already leading the tour with his six titles for the season, Sinner underlined his ability to add more silverware in Shanghai as he maintained impressive composure against the big-serving Shelton.
He staved off all seven break points he faced against Shelton - none more impressive than in the fifth game of the second set, when he delivered a deft drop shot from the baseline.
Sinner's seventh ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal appearance for 2024 will be the most in a season since Alexander Zverev in 2018.
The next challenge for the Italian is against Daniil Medvedev, who successfully navigated past Stefanos Tsitsipas in a tense one hour and 50 minutes. With no service breaks, the tight first set was determined in a tiebreak, with Medvedev recovering from a dropped service game at the start of the second set to emerge a 7-6(3) 6-3 winner.
Targeting his first trophy for the season, Medvedev hopes to revive the form that took him to the 2019 Rolex Shanghai Masters title. Wins over Thiago Seyboth Wild and Matteo Arnaldi added earlier fuel to his campaign.
"Actually felt like I played better the first two matches than today. It was different court, a bit less big, so usually it's a bit tougher to control the ball when the court is like this, a bit windy," Medvedev commented of the Show Court 3 encounter with Tsitsipas.
"So, generally still happy with my level, happy with the way I played tactically, with the way I managed to control the match, and looking forward."
Carlos Alcaraz is also charging forward with another glittering prize in sight.
The third-seeded Spaniard extended an impressive win streak to 12 matches as he overcame Gael Monfils to complete his set of quarterfinal appearances at every ATP Masters 1000 tournament.
The entertaining Stadium Court encounter featured impressive shot-making from each player, with Alcaraz's eventual 6-4 7-5 victory adding confidence for an impressive double.
Alcaraz is aiming for back-to-back titles in China, having arrived in Shanghai as the champion in Beijing.
"The freedom that I'm playing with, I feel like I'm not afraid about the mistakes, I'm just trying to keep going all the time, keep trying if I miss it," he said when asked what's pleasing him the most about his current momentum. "Most of the time everything goes well, I can't complain at all."
Alcaraz will draw on that mindset when he faces No.30 seed Tomas Machac.
The 23-year-old Czech ended an inspired run from Tommy Paul, with his 3-6 6-4 6-3 victory over the American securing his second quarterfinal appearance at this level and a first at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
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