Shanghai: Novak Djokovic said Wednesday that he was ‘embracing’ the pressure of being World No.1 and reigning champion at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament this week.
The 32-year-old from Serbia made a fast start to his title defence, easing past young Canadian Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-3 with minimum fuss.
Fresh from winning career title number 76 in Tokyo, the Serbian will now play big-serving American John Isner in the last 16 in China.
The 16-time Grand Slam champion said he had no pain from the shoulder injury that forced him out of the US Open in August and is ‘confident that I can perform at my best’.
Novak Djokovic said that sky-high expectations are ‘part of what we do’. “ But it’s also a privilege and a sign or kind of an indicator that you’re doing something that is important and that you’re doing well,” asserted the World No.1.
“I think when you feel pressure you’re doing well. It’s something that is inevitable so you might as well embrace it and accept it.”
Also in action Thursday will be Roger Federer, who faces Belgium’s David Goffin, and third seed Russian Daniil Medvedev who faces Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil.
Two rising stars of men’s tennis went toe-to-toe when Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece and Felix Auger-Aliassime clashed. Tsitsipas defeated the 19-year-old 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/3) for his first victory over the Canadian stretching all the way back to their junior days.
Another of the new generation hoping to usurp the likes of Djokovic and Federer is the 22-year-old Alexander Zverev. The young German had a bout of dizziness during an incident-packed victory over French underdog Jeremy Chardy, 7-6(15/13), 7-6 (7/3).
AFP