Novak Djokovic will compete in his ninth Shanghai Masters semi-final. Novak faced the young Czech Jakub Mensik in the quarter-final and scored a 6-7, 6-1, 6-4 victory in two hours and 19 minutes, setting the semi-final clash with Taylor Fritz.
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The Serb played another rock-solid match, facing one break point in the opening set and getting broken while serving for it at 5-4. Novak lost the tie break before taking charge in sets two and three, serving well and delivering four breaks from nine opportunities, remaining on the title course.
A teenager fired 17 aces but struggled behind the second serve, losing ground in the second set and suffering the crucial break in the middle of the decider. Jakub attacked and landed 34 winners and 43 unforced errors. Djokovic tamed his strokes more efficiently, finishing the duel with 24 direct points and 26 mistakes.
The Serb had the upper hand from the baseline and had the upper hand in the more advanced exchanges.
Mensik dominated with his first serve in the opening set but struggled behind the second big time.
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The young gun saved two of three break points and stole the legend's serve in the last moment before prevailing in the tie break for an early advantage and a massive boost. Jakub made a reliable start, firing a service winner in the first game of the match and holding at 15.
Novak forced the rival's mistake for 40-0 in game two and held at love with a service winner for 1-1. Mensik served well in the third game, welcoming the veteran's loose slice and holding at love for a 2-1 advantage. The four-time champion responded with an unreturned serve in the fourth game, controlling the pace with his forehand and leveling the score.
Jakub earned three game points with a powerful serve at 2-2 and held at love after a well-constructed attack and the new advantage. Djokovic grabbed the sixth game with an unreturned serve, leveling the score at 3-3 after 18 minutes.
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Novak Djokovic toppled Jakub Mensik in three sets in Shanghai.
The Czech missed a game point in game seven and experienced the first break points. The young gun remained composed and denied them with service winners, enduring a couple of more deuces and closing the game with a forehand winner for a 4-3 lead.
Novak left those chances behind and clinched the eighth game with a service winner, keeping the pressure on the other side. Mensik squandered three game points at 4-4 and faced a break point after Djokovic's lucky net cord winner.
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The Serb drew the Czech's mistake, securing a break and serving for the opener at 5-4. The four-time champion dropped three points on serve in the opening four games, hoping for another comfortable hold. However, the veteran missed a drop shot and offered his opponent a break chance.
Jakub converted it with a forced error, delivering a late break and extending the opener. Both players served well in the remaining games, arranging a tie break. Novak started it with a mini-break and grabbed two points on serve for 3-0.
The Czech grabbed two points on serve for 2-3 and kicked off his charge on the return. The four-time champion netted a backhand in the sixth point and fell 4-3 behind after a double fault.
Djokovic sprayed a forehand error in the tenth point, facing two set points and dropping the fourth straight point behind the initial shot after a forehand error, allowing Mensik to rattle off seven of the final eight points and wrap up the opener in 59 minutes.
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Novak made a fresh start in the second set, providing four comfortable holds after losing only three points and delivering two breaks for 6-1 and a boost. The Serb caused the rival's mistake in the second game after a drop shot, moving in front and holding at love a few minutes later for 3-0.
The veteran made another push on the return in the sixth game, landing a volley winner for a break point and welcoming a forehand error from a teenager for another break and a 5-1 advantage.
Djokovic held with a service winner, introducing a decider after an hour and a half and becoming the favorite in the final set.
The 24-time Major winner mirrored that performance behind the initial shot in the third set, providing five holds without issues and keeping the pressure on the other side. Jakub held at 15 in the first game before facing issues at 1-1.
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He denied two break points and remained on the positive side after causing the rival's mistake, hoping for some chances on the return. Instead, Novak felt no pressure in his games, attacking on the return and earning more opportunities at 2-2.
A teenager missed a backhand, dropping serve and sending his opponent closer to the finish line. Djokovic held at 15 in the sixth game and landed a volley winner two games later for a 5-3 advantage. Mensik served to stay in the match in game nine and held after multiple deuces, extending the battle and having one last chance on the return. Novak did not want to give him any room, holding at love with a powerful serve and booking a place in the semi-final.
