Shanghai: World number one Novak Djokovic marched into the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters on Friday, overcoming David Ferrer 6-4, 6-2 as he vies for his third successive title.
The Serbian joins Gilles Simon and Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in the last four, with Roger Federer playing his quarter final.
Djokovic broke his Spanish opponents serve in the first game, but was given a scare as he was serving to take the first set with the scores at 5-4 in his favour.
Ferrer saved three set-points against the top seed before earning two break points. But Djokovic snuffed out the challenge and closed the marathon 12 minute game at the net, pumping his fists with relief as the crowd roared.
He was more dominant in the second set, breaking fifth seed Ferrer again at his first attempt before gaining a 5-2 lead with his next break and closing out the match in one hour 24 minutes.
Simon continued his great run in Shanghai by overwhelming Tomas Berdych in a scintillating final, his second top-10 scalp in three days. The world number 29 won 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-0 to enter his second successive semi-final, after also making the last four in Tokyo last week where he lost to Milos Raonic.
Berdych arrived at the Shanghai quarters without even facing a break point. But the tournament’s sixth seed was given a rude awakening when Simon broke his serve in the first game. The Czech, however, appeared well in control of his serving game thereafter, firing 12 aces throughout
the set.
“I feel my tennis is coming back from the last, I would say, two months,” Simon said. “I’m finding a better rhythm. I feel also stronger. I have less injuries. So, I mean, it’s a bit easier to go on the court.”
