Novak Djokovic will face Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters after the 14-time Grand Slam champion beat Kevin Anderson 7-6 (7/1), 6-3 on Friday.
Djokovic saved set point in the opener before taking control of the tie break and the second set to dump out the South African seventh seed in efficient fashion. The 31-year-old is in sparkling form, winning Wimbledon, the Cincinnati Masters and US Open in recent months, after having elbow surgery in February.
The second seed is homing in on injured Rafael Nadal’s year-end no 1 ranking. Djokovic will meet Alexander Zverev on Saturday after the German defeated Kyle Edmund to reach his first Shanghai Masters semi-final.
The fourth seed’s 6-4, 6-4 victory over the 11th-seeded Briton also seals his place in the season-ending ATP Finals in London next month, which bring together the top eight men.
Shanghai top seed and defending champion Roger Federer plays Kei Nishikori in the quarter-finals later on Friday. The top four players in the world – Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro – had already qualified for London. Zverev is ranked fifth.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!