Zverev battles ankle and Bublik to reach first Shanghai QF since 2019

The newly crowned year-end world No. 1 had to work hard for his place in the last eight. Alexander Zverev beat Alexander Bublik 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 in the round of 16 at the Rolex Shanghai Masters on Tuesday. That puts him into the quarter-finals in Shanghai for the first time since 2019.

The match lasted more than two and a half hours and was never comfortable for the top seed. Zverev saved four set points in the opening set, took the tie-break 8-6, had to manage an ankle problem in the second set and then won a one-sided deciding tie-break 7-1.

Four set points saved, then a ruthless finish

Bublik showed his usual mix of big serving and unpredictable shot-making, and the opening set could easily have gone his way. Zverev held his nerve on all four set points and edged the tie-break. The Kazakh hit back in the second set. According to the ATP, he became only the second player this week to break the German's serve, and he levelled the match.

The decider stayed on serve all the way, but the tie-break was all Zverev. He dropped just one point in it and closed out a win that, by the ATP's count, is his 40th quarter-final at ATP Masters 1000 level. Bublik still leads their head-to-head 3-2.

The ankle is talking

Zverev's physical state is now the main question for the rest of the week. The German turned his ankle in his second-round win over Wu and had more trouble with it against Bublik.

"My ankle was acting up, unfortunately," Zverev said, according to the ATP. "It was kind of understandable because I have been playing a lot of tennis, which is kind of a good sign because I have been playing well."

He was similarly open in his comments reported by Sky Sports: "I'm starting to feel my body more and more, but happy to be through because it was a difficult match."

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The win also gave him a first chance to celebrate on court after securing the year-end No. 1 ranking. "It is very, very special," he said. "To finish the world No 1 is a different kind of feeling. It's a different kind of responsibility on your shoulders."

De Minaur next, eighth Masters title in sight

Zverev is chasing his eighth Masters 1000 title and his first in Shanghai. His quarter-final opponent is Alex de Minaur, who has been far more efficient. The Australian beat Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-4 on Tuesday and has not dropped a set this week.

The draw has also opened up. Carlos Alcaraz lost to Zizou Bergs in the third round, so Zverev is the clear favourite in a field that has lost several of its biggest names. With his ankle now a problem in two of his three matches, though, the de Minaur quarter-final looks like a test of his fitness as much as his form.