By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Launching his quest for a fourth Shanghai Rolex Masters championship, Novak Djokovic breezed to a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Fabio Fognini.
Photo credit: Shanghai Rolex Masters
Novak Djokovic is striving to reconnect with the joy of playing tennis.
A relaxed Djokovic found his happy space in a triumphant return to Shanghai today.
More: Djokovic Redefines Purpose In Shanghai Return
Launching his quest for a fourth Shanghai Rolex Masters championship, the reigning champion breezed to a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Fabio Fognini in one hour, 15 minutes.
Playing his first match since falling to Stan Wawrinka in the US Open final last month, Djokovic moved fluidly and struck cleanly.
The top seed committed fewer than half as many unforced errors as the theatrical Italian (18 to 40). Djokovic converted four of five break point chances and won 20 of 30 points played on Fognini's second serve.
Winless in seven prior meetings with the Serbian, Fognini tried to press the issue early, but derailed himself. Slapping successive backhands into net, Fognini followed with a double fault into net donating the break to give Djokovic a 2-0 lead after seven minutes of play.
The only real turbulence Djokovic encountered in the opening set came when he denied two break points in the seventh game. Djokovic held for 5-2 leaving a frustrated Fognini to flip his Babolat racket in disgust. Djokovic served out the set in 37 minutes.
The pair traded breaks to start the second set.
Repelling everything the former Australian Open doubles champion threw at him, Djokovic broke again for 4-3 on a Fognini error.
A disconsolate Fognini double-faulted twice in succession dropping serve at love to end the match.
Djokovic, who has won 39 of his last 40 matches in China, is playing for his fifth Masters crown of the season. The Roland Garros champion will play either Grigor Dimitrov or Vasek Pospisil for a place in the quarterfinals.
The world No. 1, who has reached the semifinals or better in all six prior Shanghai appearances, raised his 2016 record to 57-6.
Fresh off his run to the Tokyo final, David Goffin, converted five of six break points denying Juan Martin del Potro, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. The 11th-seeded Belgian will play 47th-ranked Benoit Paire for a spot in the round of 16.
In an all-Spanish showdown, Feliciano Lopez lashed 20 aces edging 10th-seeded David Ferrer, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (4) in two hours, 30 minutes. Lopez will face Jack Sock, who stopped Guido Pella, 7-6 (3), 7-5.
Beijing finalist Dimitrov continued his recent success sweeping 14th-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet, 6-4, 6-4.
It was Dimitrov's first win over Gasquet in six meetings, sending him into a second-round clash with Canadian qualifier Pospisil.
Tokyo champion Nick Kyrgios extended his winning streak to six matches with a 6-4, 6-4, sweep of Sam Querrey. Kyrgios cracked 14 aces and did not face a break point in the 53-minute win. He will play German qualifier Mischa Zverev next.
No. 13-seeded Lucas Pouille ousted Fernando Verdasco, 6-3, 6-3, in 58 minutes. Pouille plays another Spaniard, Nicolas Almagro, in the second round.