Alexander Zverev advanced to the second round of the Shanghai Masters on Friday with a 6:4, 7:6 (7:4) victory over local wildcard entry Wu Yibing, keeping his pursuit of the world number one ranking alive.
Opening Victory Against Wu Yibing in Shanghai
Zverev controlled the opening set by landing 74 percent of his first serves, denying Wu any break point opportunities. The second set proved more competitive after Zverev broke early and Wu recovered to level the score at 5:5. During that decisive eleventh game, Zverev slightly over-extended his left foot and briefly sat on the court surface before recovering his movement quickly to close out the tiebreak 7:4.
I am very happy that I managed it in two sets today. He goes for every ball fully, but I served well,
Zverev said after securing the match.
The Race for the ATP World Number One Ranking
Under current Association of Tennis Professionals calculations, Zverev requires a run to the semifinals in Shanghai to guarantee claiming the year-end top ranking. Sinner ended his season early due to knee problems, leaving him vulnerable to losing further points in the final weeks of the tennis calendar. If Zverev matches his 2019 finalist result in Shanghai, he could secure the top spot or position himself to capture it at the upcoming tournament in Vienna scheduled from October 26 to November 1.
Next Match at the Shanghai Masters
Zverev turns his attention to the next round of the Shanghai Masters, where he continues his campaign to become the first German player to reach the men’s tennis summit since Boris Becker.
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