The four-time Shanghai Masters champion, Novak Djokovic, is through to his tenth quarter-final from as many trips to this event. The Serb faced Roman Safiullin in the fourth round and scored a 6-3, 6-2 victory in an hour and 13 minutes, maintaining his perfect record against the Russian.
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The 24-time Major winner continued where he left against Flavio Cobolli a day earlier, producing rock-solid numbers on serve and return and joining Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in the last eight. Novak dominated with his first serve, dropping only four points and struggling a bit on the second serve.
Djokovic saved all three break points and mounted the pressure on the other side. Safiullin served at 56% and plagued his chances, playing against five break points and losing serve three times, ending his campaign in the last 16.
The Serb tamed his strokes nicely and landed 16 winners and 13 unforced errors, reducing his rival to a 9-17 ratio.
Novak had the upper hand from the baseline and at the net, hitting more service winners than his opponent and emerging at the top in style.
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World no. 4 took charge in the shortest and mid-range exchanges, enjoying a relaxed day at the office and settling the clash against Jakub Mensik. Djokovic landed a forehand down the line winner in the first game of the encounter and repeated that for a hold at love and a reliable start.
The four-time champion cracked a forehand winner in the third game for a break point. Roman denied it with a powerful forehand crosscourt winner, avoiding an early setback and holding with a service winner. Safiullin extended the third game with a potent return winner before Djokovic held with a service winner for a 2-1 lead.
The lower-ranked player served well in the fourth game, locking the result at 2-2 and hoping for more in the upcoming ones. Novak struggled a bit in the fifth game, hitting a double fault and facing two break points.
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Novak Djokovic dropped five games against Roman Safiullin in Shanghai.
The four-time champion saved the first with a forced error and the second with a service winner, holding after the rival's mistake and opening a 3-2 gap.
Roman provided another fine hold in the sixth game, closing it with a service winner and leveling the score at 3-3. Djokovic stepped in on the return in the eighth game, defending nicely and generating two break chances after the rival's loose forehand.
The Serb converted the first with a forehand winner at the net, opening a 5-3 gap and serving for the set. World no. 4 landed a service winner at 15-30 in the ninth game and created a set point with a forced error. Novak seized it with an unreturned serve, opening a 6-3 lead in 39 minutes.
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Roman sprayed a forehand error at the beginning of the second set and faced three break points. Djokovic converted the second, taking a set and a break lead and settling into a fine rhythm. The Serb held at love in game two after the rival's mistake before the lower-ranked player landed an ace in the next one, reducing the deficit to 2-1.
The 24-time Major winner hit an ace at 15-30 in the fourth game but faced a break point following a thrilling rally and the opponent's superb defense.
Novak denied it with a forced error and held when Roman placed a forehand long. World no. 4 stepped in on the return in game five and landed a forehand down the line winner for three break chances. The Serb attacked on the second and converted it after the Russian's loose forehand, forging a Safiullin sprayed a backhand error on the first, losing serve at love and propelling Djokovic 4-1 in front.
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Djokovic drew the rival's mistake in the sixth game for two game points and seized the first with a service winner, opening a 5-1 lead and forcing his rival to serve to stay in the match. Roman played a reliable service game, hitting winners and reducing the deficit to 5-2.
Novak served for the win in game eight and landed three powerful serves for three match points. The Russian denied the first with a backhand return winner before the Serb seized the second with a powerful serve, booking a spot in the quarter-final.
Djokovic is 37-5 in Shanghai, never losing before the quarter-final and seeking his fifth trophy. The 24-time Major winner dominated in Shanghai between 2012 and 2018, lifting four trophies and becoming the most decorated player in the tournament's history.
In his previous Shanghai campaign, Novak experienced his earliest loss five years ago, winning the opener against the young Stefanos Tsitsipas before falling in three sets. Djokovic will be the favorite against the young Czech Jakub Mensik, seeking his ninth Shanghai Masters semi-final 15 years after his debut.
