In straight sets on Wednesday, Novak Djokovic defeated Roman Safiullin to advance to his tenth Shanghai Masters quarterfinal.
In just 74 minutes, the four-time event winner Serb rallied to win 6-3 6-2.
Djokovic got off to a lightning-fast start, winning the first game by serving to love. However, he had to wait patiently for an opportunity, which he eventually found at the conclusion of the first set with a winning run of three games.
Then, in the second set, Safiullin’s chances of a comeback were dashed as his serve was broken.
From that moment on, Djokovic was unstoppable. He won easily by gaining another break and fending off a break point, his third of the match.
Jakub Mensik is currently in the way of Djokovic’s progress toward a final four spot as he continues to pursue his quest for a 100th tour-level championship.
Data Debrief: Djokovic continues Shanghai dominance
As the first player to reach ten quarterfinals at the Shanghai Masters since its inception in 2009, Djokovic is now ranked 95th overall in ATP Masters 1000 competitions.
As he pursues the championship, it was also his 37th victory in the competition, setting a new record for him.
The only two people to win 100 tour-level titles in the Open Era are Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer, and he would become the third if he were to lift the trophy.
