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Djokovic storms into Shanghai quarter-finals

By AFP
13 October 2016   |   12:19 pm
World number one Novak Djokovic dismissed Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil 6-4, 6-4 to storm into the Shanghai Masters quarter-finals on Thursday.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after winning against Vasek Pospisil of Canada during their men's singles match at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai on October 13, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / WANG ZHAO

Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after winning against Vasek Pospisil of Canada during their men’s singles match at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai on October 13, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / WANG ZHAO

World number one Novak Djokovic dismissed Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil 6-4, 6-4 to storm into the Shanghai Masters quarter-finals on Thursday.

The 12-time Grand Slam-winner came into the tournament with questions over his motivation but he left little room for doubt in a comprehensive victory.

Djokovic weathered 12 aces and 28 winners from Pospisil, 26, before completing the 79-minute victory with a searing forehand to the corner.

The Serb insists he is no longer chasing titles or rankings points after suffering a crisis of motivation since he completed a career Grand Slam at the French Open in June.

But he is now into the Shanghai last eight without dropping a set and will face 110th-ranked Mischa Zverev for a place in the semi-finals.

America’s Jack Sock recovered from losing the first set to love as he beat Milos Raonic 0-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10/8), ending a run of eight straight defeats to the Canadian fifth seed.

And Jo-Wilfried Tsonga ousted racquet-smashing teenager Alexander Zverev, denying the young German a potential match-up with his elder brother, Mischa.

Zverev, 19, pushed the ninth seed all the way until he was broken for 5-6 in the third set, prompting a furious racquet-battering which earned him a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Tsonga, serving for the match, safely negotiated three break points before a spectacular airborne smash set up match point, which he gobbled up to win 6-7 (4/7), 6-2, 7-5.

Zverev’s brother Mischa, a decade older at 29, also went three sets against Marcel Granollers of Spain but he came out on top 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-1.

The Zverevs were the first brothers since Olivier and Christophe Rochus at Miami 2006 to reach the last 16 of a Masters tournament, and were on course to meet in the semis.

Alexander Zverev has soared to 21st in the world after he won last month in St. Petersburg, becoming the first teenager in eight years to win an ATP tour title.

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