Andy Murray Wins ATP Shanghai Opener, Roger Federer Kicks Off Campaign On Tuesday

By Ricky Dimon

Andy Murray got back in the winners’ circle in his ever-improving comeback with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 defeat Juan Ignacio Londero in round one of the Rolex Shanghai Masters on Monday. Murray recovered from a slow start to get the job done after two hours and 17 minutes.

The three-time Shanghai champion is now sporting a 4-2 record on the Asian swing, including a win over world No. 13 Matteo Berrettini and losses only to eventual champions Alex de Minaur (Zhuhai) and Dominic Thiem (Beijing).

“Until maybe a month ago, I didn’t know I would be right at the top level,” Murray said. “Since I got in China, I feel like I have been competitive against all of the players I have competed against. I challenged a top-10 player, a top-20 player, and a top-30 player–not winning all the matches but feeling like I’ve done really well.”

Nitto ATP Finals hopeful Fabio Fognini fared extremely well in his opener, beating Sam Querrey 6-4, 6-2. Fogini and Murray will get second-round action started with a head-to-head meeting on Tuesday.

Among Monday’s other victorious players were Gael Monfils, Denis Shapovalov, Vasek Pospisil, Benoit Paire, and Albert Ramos-Vinolas. Shapovalov beat Frances Tiafoe to set up a meeting with world No. 1 and Tokyo winner Novak Djokovic, Pospisil ousted Diego Schwartzman, and Ramos-Vinolas upset Marin Cilic to earn a shot at Roger Federer.

Draw
Novak Djokovic…..bye
Denis Shapovalov…..d. Tiafoe

Zhe Li
Lucas Pouille

Alex de Minaur
John Isner

Gael Monfils…..d. Sonego
Hubert Hurkacz…..d. Zhang

Felix Auger-Aliassime
Alexander Bublik

Stefanos Tsitsias……bye

Daniil Medvedev…..bye
Cameron Norrie…..d. Simon

Joao Sousa…..d. Krajinovic
Vasek Pospisil…..d. Schwartzman

Fabio Fognini…..d. Querrey
Andy Murray…..d. Londero

Taylor Fritz…..d. Verdasco
Karen Khachanov…..bye

Roberto Bautista Agut…..bye

Reilly Opelka
Dusan Lajovic

Christian Garin…..d. Cuevas

Jan-Lennard Struff
Matteo Berrettini

Nikoloz Basilashvili…..d. Albot
Benoit Paire…..d. Cecchinato

Pablo Carreno Busta
Ze Zhang

Dominic Thiem…..bye

Alexander Zverev…..bye
Jeremy Chardy…..d. Edmund

Guido Pella
John Millman

Andrey Rublev
Borna Coric

David Goffin
Richard Gasquet

Mikhail Kukushkin…..d. Kecmanovic

Albert Ramos-Vinolas…..d. Marin Cilic
Roger Federer…..bye

Seeds
1. Novak Djokovic: vs. Shapovalov in R2
2. Roger Federer: vs. Ramos-Vinolas in R2
3. Daniil Medvedev: vs. Norrie in R24. Dominic Thiem: vs. Carreno Busta/Zhang winner in R25. Alexander Zverev: vs. Chardy in R2
6. Stefanos Tsitsipas: vs. Auger-Aliassime/Bublik winner in R2
7. Karen Khachanov: vs. Fritz in R2
8. Roberto Bautista Agut: vs. Opelka/Lajovic winner in R29. Gael Monfils: vs. Hurkacz in R210. Fabio Fognini: vs. Murray in R211. Matteo Berrettini: vs. Struff in R1
12. Borna Coric: vs. Rublev in R1
13. David Goffin: vs. Gasquet in R1
14. Diego Schwartzman: l. to Pospisil in R115. Nikoloz Basilashvili: vs. Paire in R2
16. John Isner: vs. De Minaur in R1

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on twitter at @Dimonator.