RICKY UPDATES SHANGHAI TENNIS. A SICK RAFA LOSES TO LOPEZ & ROGER FEDERER IS BETTERER WINS ! ROGER STARED DOWN 5 MATCH POINTS !

Written by: Staff on 8th October 2014

RICKY UPDATES SHANGHAI TENNIS. A SICK RAFA LOSES TO LOPEZ & ROGER FEDERER IS BETTERER WINS ! ROGER STARED DOWN 5 MATCH POINTS !

epa04437448 Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates after winning his second round match against Leonardo Mayer of Argentina at the Shanghai Tennis Masters in Shanghai, China, 08 October 2014. EPA/DIEGO AZUBEL |

Men’s tour news from Shanghai: Nadal goes down to Lopez, Federer saves five match points

By Ricky Dimon

Unsurprisingly, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer experienced very different fates at the Shanghai Rolex Masters on Wednesday. Struggling with appendicitis upon his return from three months away due to a wrist injury, Nadal lost his opening match in straight sets to fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez. Federer almost bowed out as well despite being a heavy favorite against Leonardo Mayer, but the Swiss saved five match points and survived in a third-set tiebreaker.

Wednesday summary

Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts during his second round match against Feliciano Lopez of Spain at the Shanghai Tennis Masters in Shanghai, China, 08 October 2014. EPA/DIEGO AZUBEL

Nadal raced to a 3-0 lead in the second set but never looked entirely comfortable during second-round action. The No. 2 seed failed to serve out the set at 5-3 before eventually losing it in a tiebreaker to fall 6-3, 7-6(6). Lopez advances to a showdown with John Isner, while Nadal is left to rest and gear up for potentially three more tournaments in 2014.

“My thought is to continue with Basel, Paris and London,” he explained. “It’s true that the past few months I did not have the best of luck. I didn’t have the best of luck since Wimbledon. I was playing a good year; very positive year. After that I was unlucky with the wrist (and) what’s going on now. Now there remains three more tournaments for me.”

There remains at least one more match for Federer in Shanghai, but not before a major scare. Mayer held multiple match points in the 10th game of third set and in the final tiebreaker only to see Federer storm back for a 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(7) triumph. The 17-time Grand Slam champion will next go up against Roberto Bautista Agut, who held off Vasek Pospisil 7-6(1), 3-6, 6-4.

Federer’s countryman Stan Wawrinka could not avoid Wednesday’s upset bug. The world No. 4 started strong but ultimately succumbed to Gilles Simon 5-7, 7-5, 6-4. Milos Raonic also exited when he retired due to a virus while trailing Juan Monaco 5-2 in the opening set. Kei Nishikori (lost to Jack Sock) and Grigor Dimitrov (lost to Julien Benneteau) also joined the seed exodus out of Shanghai.

Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland in action against Gilles Simon of France during their second round match at the Shanghai Tennis Masters in Shanghai, China, 08 October 2014. EPA/DIEGO AZUBEL

Japan’s Kei Nishikori in action against Jack Sock of the USA during their second round match at the Shanghai Tennis Masters in Shanghai, China, 08 October 2014. EPA/DIEGO AZUBEL

Briefs

* Djokovic kicks off title defense, leaves Thiem no better than 38th.

* Murray takes care of Janowicz, needs two more wins for top 10.

* Ferrer overcomes Klizan, will pass Wawrinka for No. 4 only with title.

* Federer fights off five match points, guaranteed to surpass Nadal at No. 2.

* Bautista Agut reaches third round, already gives himself shot at top 15.

* Benneteau guarantees top 30 spot with upset of Dimitrov.

* Sock takes out Nishikori, likely into top 50.

* Berdych avenges loss to Gasquet, can pass Nishikori for No. 6 with semifinal.

* Jaziri takes advantage of good draw to reach top 80, will be top 60 with quarterfinal.

* Simon assures top 30 place by beating Wawrinka, possibly into top 25.

* Monaco likely into top 70 via Raonic retirement, well into top 60 with one more victory.

* Raonic unable to hold off Cilic for No. 8, will be no better than No. 9.

* Youzhny not quite into top 30 but will be top 25 with quarterfinal.

* Isner blasts 24 aces without double-faulting but needs final to move up from 14th.

* Lopez soars into top 20 with defeat of Nadal, will tie Fognini at 17th if he beats Isner.

Roger Federer of Switzerland in action during his second round match against Leonardo Mayer of Argentina at the Shanghai Tennis Masters in Shanghai, China, 08 October 2014. EPA/DIEGO AZUBEL

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Federer is betterer, Feliciano Lopez, Gilles Simon, GRIGOR DIMITROV, milos raonic, Rafa, Ricky Dimon, Roger Federer, Shanghai Rolex Masters, Stan Wawrinka, Tennis, Tennis News

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10sBalls_com says:

October 8, 2014 at 12:02 pm

@RD_Tennistalk UPDATES #SHANGHAI #TENNIS. A SICK @RafaelNadal LOSES TO #LOPEZ & @rogerfederer IS #BETTERER WINS!… http://t.co/2tY7MaYHom
shanghai_lopez says:

October 8, 2014 at 12:03 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: @RD_Tennistalk UPDATES #SHANGHAI #TENNIS. A SICK @RafaelNadal LOSES TO #LOPEZ & @rogerfederer IS #BETTERER WINS!… http:…