Hurkacz hands Djokovic early Shanghai exit as Zverev sails; Mertens sets up China Open semis against Zheng

Novak Djokovic went down in straight sets to Hubert Hurkacz on Friday, exiting the Shanghai Masters in his first match after memorably winning the China Open this week.

Big-serving Hurkacz, the 2023 champion in Shanghai, won 6-4, 6-3 as the 39-year-old former world number one faltered against an opponent a decade his junior.

“I didn’t feel myself on the court,” the Serbian veteran said afterwards.

“It’s a super-quick surface, completely different from Beijing. If you lose your serve, it’s enough to lose a match.”

Djokovic was playing three days after winning the title in Beijing, where he has still never lost a match on the professional Tour.

He hunched over and squatted down between points on a cool evening in Shanghai while a lively Hurkacz refused to give much away.

Djokovic was broken in the fourth game of the second set as he double-faulted to give Hurkacz a 3-1 lead.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic in action during his round of 64 match against Poland's Hubert Hurkacz. Reuters

“It’s very difficult to return his serve, almost impossible,” Djokovic said of his opponent, who sent down 13 aces across the one-hour-and-28-minute match.

“I didn’t adjust, and it was a really tough draw for me to play him in the first match-up.”

Hurkacz had advanced to the Beijing semi-finals but ended his match early due to a strained muscle.

It was his first-ever victory against Djokovic in nine meetings on the Tour.

Zverev survives scare: Earlier, top seed Alexander Zverev churned out a win over Chinese wildcard Wu Yibing 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), and will next play Quentin Halys of France.

A dive left the German world number two grimacing and grabbing his left ankle during the 11th game of the second set, with Wu, ranked 113th, going 6-5 up.

But the 29-year-old held serve and forced a tie-break, capitalising on a series of errors to win on his second match point when the home hope fired long.

“Credit to him, he was playing amazing tennis,” Zverev told the crowd afterwards.

“He hits every ball as hard as he can.”

Zverev is on track to end the year at number one after Jannik Sinner announced he was ending his season due to injury.

Birthday joy for Shelton: A gritty Ben Shelton beat Germany’s Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) and will play France’s Arthur Gea in the third round.

It was a fitting present for the American third seed, who turned 24 on Friday, though he hinted he may go easy on the celebrations, telling an on-court interviewer: “I hate cake.”

Frenchman Adrian Mannarino upset sixth-seeded Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 to set up a tie against Karen Khachanov.

And Japanese qualifier Rei Sakamoto beat Russia’s Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-4 to earn a match against ninth-seeded Alex de Minaur.

Mertens stuns Swiatek: Elise Mertens stunned former champion Iga Swiatek 7-6(0) 6-3 on Friday to reach the China Open semi-finals, continuing her impressive run in Beijing after also eliminating American third seed Coco Gauff earlier in the week.

Belgium's Elise Mertens hits a return to Poland's Iga Swiatek during their women's singles quarter-final at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing on Friday. AFP

The 30-year-old Belgian, ranked 19th in the world, produced a composed display to secure back-to-back victories over Grand Slam champions and advance to just the third WTA 1000 semi-final of her career and her first since 2021.

Mertens seized control by dominating the opening-set tiebreak without dropping a point and carried that momentum into the second set, breaking Swiatek and completing one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.

She will next face home favourite Zheng Qinwen, who defeated sixth seed Elina Svitolina 6-3 7-6(6) earlier in the day to book her place in the last four.

Playing on a wildcard, Zheng took charge early by breaking Svitolina three times in the opening set. The Ukrainian world number seven responded strongly in the second, raising her level to force a tiebreak.

Agencies

Shanghai: Novak Djokovic went down in straight sets to Hubert Hurkacz on Friday, exiting the Shanghai Masters in his first match after memorably winning the China Open this week.

Big-serving Hurkacz, the 2023 champion in Shanghai, won 6-4, 6-3 as the 39-year-old former world number one faltered against an opponent a decade his junior.

“I didn’t feel myself on the court,” the Serbian veteran said afterwards.

“It’s a super-quick surface, completely different from Beijing. If you lose your serve, it’s enough to lose a match.”

Djokovic was playing three days after winning the title in Beijing, where he has still never lost a match on the professional Tour.

He hunched over and squatted down between points on a cool evening in Shanghai while a lively Hurkacz refused to give much away.

Djokovic was broken in the fourth game of the second set as he double-faulted to give Hurkacz a 3-1 lead.

“It’s very difficult to return his serve, almost impossible,” Djokovic said of his opponent, who sent down 13 aces across the one-hour-and-28-minute match.

“I didn’t adjust, and it was a really tough draw for me to play him in the first match-up.”

Hurkacz had advanced to the Beijing semi-finals but ended his match early due to a strained muscle.

It was his first-ever victory against Djokovic in nine meetings on the Tour.

Zverev survives scare: Earlier, top seed Alexander Zverev churned out a win over Chinese wildcard Wu Yibing 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), and will next play Quentin Halys of France.

A dive left the German world number two grimacing and grabbing his left ankle during the 11th game of the second set, with Wu, ranked 113th, going 6-5 up.

But the 29-year-old held serve and forced a tie-break, capitalising on a series of errors to win on his second match point when the home hope fired long.

“Credit to him, he was playing amazing tennis,” Zverev told the crowd afterwards.

“He hits every ball as hard as he can.”

Zverev is on track to end the year at number one after Jannik Sinner announced he was ending his season due to injury.

Birthday joy for Shelton: A gritty Ben Shelton beat Germany’s Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) and will play France’s Arthur Gea in the third round.

It was a fitting present for the American third seed, who turned 24 on Friday, though he hinted he may go easy on the celebrations, telling an on-court interviewer: “I hate cake.”

Frenchman Adrian Mannarino upset sixth-seeded Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 to set up a tie against Karen Khachanov.

And Japanese qualifier Rei Sakamoto beat Russia’s Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-4 to earn a match against ninth-seeded Alex de Minaur.

Mertens stuns Swiatek: Elise Mertens stunned former champion Iga Swiatek 7-6(0) 6-3 on Friday to reach the China Open semi-finals, continuing her impressive run in Beijing after also eliminating American third seed Coco Gauff earlier in the week.

The 30-year-old Belgian, ranked 19th in the world, produced a composed display to secure back-to-back victories over Grand Slam champions and advance to just the third WTA 1000 semi-final of her career and her first since 2021.

Mertens seized control by dominating the opening-set tiebreak without dropping a point and carried that momentum into the second set, breaking Swiatek and completing one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.

She will next face home favourite Zheng Qinwen, who defeated sixth seed Elina Svitolina 6-3 7-6(6) earlier in the day to book her place in the last four.

Playing on a wildcard, Zheng took charge early by breaking Svitolina three times in the opening set. The Ukrainian world number seven responded strongly in the second, raising her level to force a tiebreak.

Agencies