Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz both triumph to reach last 16 at Shanghai Masters with latest showdown on the cards

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World No. 1 Jannik Sinner was dragged into a three-set battle with Argentina's Tomas Martin Etcheverry in Shanghai, but the Italian eventually progressed to the round of 16 after a 6-7 6-4 6-2 victory. Sinner won under the amenity of the roof in China, while his rival at the top of the ATP Tour right now, Carlos Alcaraz, also won through once more.

'We are like fire and ice' - Sinner opens up on Alcaraz rivalry

Video credit: SNTV

Jannik Sinner improved his perfect record against opponents outside the top 20 in the world to 43-0 after defeating Tomas Martin Etcheverry, but was forced to work for his 6-7 6-4 6-2 victory against the Argentinian in China.

Sinner got off to the perfect start, taking the opening game in just two minutes on serve. Etcheverry would respond in the following game, taking a 40-0 lead before closing out the game to set the tone for the set – he was here for the battle against the world No. 1.

The duo would battle out a first set that failed to see a single break in serve. Sinner survived a break point in the seventh game by delivering a fierce ace to force deuce before another ace to take the advantage and close out the game. He then had his own break point, but his opponent delivered a gutsy point to force deuce before hammering home two aces to hold.

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Sinner then found himself 6-5 up with a break point over Etcheverry near the end of the set but again, the Argentinian provided the response needed to hold serve. He then capitalised in the tiebreaker, winning 7-3 to steal the opening set in an hour and two minutes of pulsating tennis under the roof in Shanghai.

The second set did not follow the script of the first. Both players comfortably held their serves in the opening four games before Sinner finally broke his opponent. Sinner capped off an 18-play rally to deliver the break of serve, raising a strong fist pump in celebration while staring down his team in the stands.

The celebration would be short-lived as a double fault allowed Etcheverry back into the following game at 15-15. The 25-year-old regained his serve to level the set at 3-3 in a two-minute sixth game.

A double fault would prove costly for the Argentinian in the seventh game, allowing Sinner to take a 30-0 lead which he would then successfully close out for the third successive break in the match.

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Video credit: SNTV

Two successful holds for Sinner would see him close out the 45-minute second set and level the match heading into the decider.

The Italian should have got off to the ideal start in the final set but failed to convert three separate break points in the opening game. Etcheverry fought back from 40-0 down to hold his serve, with Sinner holding his own in the second game.

Sinner would not make the same mistake again, capitalising on his sole break opportunity to take a 2-1 lead in the set in the third game. A 126mph ace closed out the fourth to give the Italian a two-game advantage.

Etcheverry kept fighting, surviving two break points in the fifth game to stay within touching distance of the world No. 1 at 3-2.

A 15-minute sixth game would prove the most important in the match. Sinner would survive three separate break points before stealing the game from the Argentinian and take a crucial 4-2 lead. The Italian then broke immediately in the following game to put him on the brink of a hard-fought victory.

Sinner closed out the match in style, winning all five points without response in the final game to secure his passage into the round of 16.

"It got stressful because if I lose the game at 3-2, and he makes the break, then we are back even," Sinner said.

"Sometimes you have to wait for your chances, which I have done, while trying to stay calm mentally. Today, that was the key."

Alcaraz earns 50th win of 2024 after straight sets wins over WU

Like Sinner, world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz was made to work for his passage through to the round of 16 in Shanghai, eventually overcoming China's Yibing Wu 7-6 6-3.

Neither player managed to break the other's serve in a pulsating first set with both players fiercely defending their serve under the roof - and Alcaraz was full of praise for his opponent after the match.

"He's recovering his level," he said. "He's coming back from injury, so his level deserves to be at the top for sure," the Spaniard said.

"If he is still playing at this level and keeps going, then I'm going to see him around more often.

"I'm really happy to get through. I'm not used to the way I felt on court. He's a really powerful player and played strong. I felt like I was not dominating the game."

The first break point didn't arrive until the eighth game as Alcaraz found himself with a 40-15 lead. Wu fought back to win four straight points to further hold his serve and take a 5-4 lead in the set.

The reigning Wimbledon and French Open champion comfortably held his serve in the following game before Wu delivered three aces in the eleventh game to move within one game of stealing the set.

Alcaraz did indeed hold his serve before edging an exciting tiebreaker 7-5 to edge the first set.

The two men continued to hold serve in the second set, but the sixth game proved to be the most important of the match as Alcaraz broke Wu's serve for the first time. Now serving with the momentum of the moment behind him, the Spaniard delivered three aces in the following game to take a sudden 5-2 lead.

Serving to remain in the match, the pressure was on Wu. A double fault on the second point of the game showed his nerves, but the underdog steadied to win the game and extend the match. Alcaraz made no mistake on his serve, delivering another ace before forcing an error from his opponent to close out the match.

His reward is a match against either Gael Monfils or Ugo Humbert in the round of 16.

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