Novak Djokovic continued his pursuit of a one centesimal profession title by dismantling Italian teenager Flavio Cobolli to succeed in the final 16 of the Shanghai Masters.
The 37-year-old Serb was sharp and medical in a 6-1 6-2 win, which took little over an hour.
Cobolli, who grew up idolising the 24-time Grand Slam champion, couldn’t address Djokovic’s capacity to anticipate the rallies and infrequently miss a return.
In addition to his unerring precision with clear groundstrokes from the baseline, Djokovic’s excessive degree ensured he conceded solely seven factors on serve.
Subsequent, the world quantity 4 will face Russia’s Roman Safiullin for a spot within the quarter-finals.
Djokovic is aiming to grow to be solely the third man – after Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) – to clock up a century of event victories.
Making his first return to Shanghai since 2019, Djokovic acknowledged the prospect of successful a landmark title is giving him “further motivation” within the ATP 1000 occasion.
Djokovic has scaled again his schedule as prioritises the largest occasions and this yr has performed his second-fewest variety of matches in a single season since 2005.
The way by which he overwhelmed 22-year-old Cobolli, ranked thirtieth on the planet after a spectacular breakthrough season, was a reminder of the risk he poses.
Moments after Djokovic clinched victory, Safiullin served out to win a final-set tie-break towards American thirteenth seed Frances Tiafoe.
Tiafoe reacted angrily in the direction of chair umpire Jimmy Pinoargote after dropping 5-7 7-5 7-6 (7-5), launching a flurry of expletives within the Ecuadorian official’s path.