Federer needs 3 sets to beat Medvedev

The second round in the Rolex Shanghai Masters 1000 was completed, setting up some exciting round of sixteen matches to come.

Defending champion Roger Federer, after a first round bye, hit his initial competitive ball against Daniil Medvedev, and began well.

2-0, after breaking in the Russians opening service game, the over confident top seed saw his lead in the fourth game disappear, and he dropped serve for 2-2.

Medvedev was keeping up with Federer, but doing it hard, 56% first serves into play compared with 76%.  Roger was winning 82% of points on first serve - Daniil only 44%.  He was relying on the second serve too much, and eventually this cost him a second break of serve, with the set to Federer 6-4

Set two saw Medvedev smarten up his serve stats, more than matching the Swiss figures, and on the court beginning to trouble Federer by passing him with forehands and dropping shots at his feet, making volleys tougher to execute.  One break point each for the set, and Medvedev the player to convert - match level 4-6 6-4.

The decider went with serve for eight games, Medvedev taking longer than Federer to hold each of his four.

The crunch came in game nine, when Roger broke through the stubborn Russian defence to lead 5-4.

He then served out the match to win 6-4 4-6 6-4.

Some minor issues for Roger to iron out, which he should, as he continues in his quest to defend his title.  To retain his ranking of #2, he must win the trophy, and hope Djokovic fails to reach the final.

Other second round results

• Roberto Bautista Agut defeated qualifier Mackenzie McDonald 3-6 6-4 6-1
• Sam Querrey defeated qualifier Taylor Fritz 6-3 6-7(4) 7-5
• Kei Nishikori (8) defeated Yibing Wu 3-6 6-0 6-3
• Juan Martin del Potro (3) defeated Richard Gasquet 7-5 7-6(7)
• Kyle Edmund (11) defeated Andreas Seppi 6-3 6-4
• Alex de Minaur defeated qualifier Benoit Paire 6-4 6-3
• Sascha Zverev (4) defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili 7-5 6-4
• Kevin Anderson (7) defeated qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3 6-2
• Stefanos Tsitsipas (10) defeated Karen Khachanov 6-4 7-6(8)
• Marco Cecchinato (16) defeated Hyeon Chung 4-6 7-6(5) 7-6(5)

WTA Tianjin 

Second round

• Wildcard Karolina Pliskova (1) defeated Polona Hercog 6-1 6-2
• Aryna Sabalenka (4) defeated Magda Linette 6-1 6-3
• Su-Wei Hsieh (5) defeated qualifier Veronika Kudermetova 6-2 2-6 6-2
• Petra Martic (6) defeated wildcard Fangzhou Liu 1-6 6-0 6-1

WTA Hong Kong 

Second round 

• Garbiñe Muguruza (4) defeated Ana Bogdan 6-2 6-1
• Luksika Kumkhum defeated Alizé Cornet (8) 6-4 4-6 7-6(5), and will play Garbiñe Muguruza in the quarter finals 
• Dayana Yastremska defeated Saisai Zheng 6-3 6-3
• Kristina Kucova defeated lucky loser Viktoriya Tomova 6-1 6-0, and will play Dayana Yastremska in the quarter finals 

WTA Linz

First round

• Wildcard Andrea Petkovic defeated Julia Goerges (1) 1-6 7-5 6-4
• Qualifier Ekaterina Alexandrova defeated Katerina Siniakova (9) 7-5 6-0
• Barbora Strycova (3) defeated Kirsten Flipkens 7-6(4) 7-6(5)
• Kiki Bertens (2) defeated wildcard Barbara Haas 6-2 6-1

Second round

• Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (6) defeated  Vera Lapko 5-7 7-6(4) 6-3
• Alison Van Uytvanck defeated qualifier Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 1-6 7-6(3) 7-6(5)