Tennis: Top-ranked Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz advance to third round in Shanghai Masters

Shanghai: Top-ranked Jannik Sinner overcame a one set deficit to rally to a 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2 win against Tomas Martin Etcheverry at the Shanghai Masters on Sunday.

A night after winning his 250th career match with a straight-sets victory, the 23-year-old Italian faced a much sterner third-round examination against the No. 37-ranked Argentine under the roof inside Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena that hosted play due to rain.

Sinner will next play either No. 16-ranked Ben Shelton, who beat the Italian here last year, or Roberto Carballes Baena of Spain.

Etcheverry produced the shot of the night with a stunning drop volley to bring up set point in the first set tiebreak, which he converted to take the lead.

Sinner began to better find his range in the second and after trading breaks midway through the set, the Italian found another opportunity to level the match.

The momentum was all with Sinner in the third as he broke Etcheverry twice more to advance in 2 hours, 39 minutes.

Second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, who won the China Open on Wednesday for his fourth title of the year, defeated Chinese player Wu Yibing 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Wildcard Wu did well to hold off the Spaniard until the tiebreak in the first set.

Four-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz hit his stride in the second set, breaking in the sixth game.

Wu was ranked at a career-high 54 last year but injury has seen him slip to 560th.

Daniil Medvedev dug deep to beat Matteo Arnaldi 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, booking his fourth-round.

Medvedev will take on 10th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas or Alexandre Muller next in Shanghai, where he is chasing his first tour-level title since his Rome victory in May 2023.

The 28-year-old Russian is also looking to take further steps towards ATP Finals qualification in China. He is currently fourth in the ATP Live Race To Turin and in a strong position to seal his spot at the prestigious season finale for the sixth consecutive year.

Medvedev broke Arnaldi’s serve in the opening game of the match but was unable to maintain that momentum in the early stages. The Italian won six of eight games from 1-3 to clinch the opening set.

Medvedev, however, found a way to grind out a victory with the help of some improved serving and a decisive, clinical return game in the ninth game of the deciding set.

Moreover, 11th seed Tommy Paul beat Alejandro Tabilo 6-7, 7-6, 6-2. Agencies

Also Read: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner breeze into third round of Shanghai Masters

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