Krajinovic/Djokovic Stop Nitto ATP Finals Hopes In Shanghai

Novak Djokovic joined fellow Serbian Filip Krajinovic on Tuesday in beating fifth seeds Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies, this year’s Roland Garros champion, 6-3, 3-6, 10-3 in 67 minutes at the Rolex Shanghai Masters. They will next play Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski, who were 6-3, 6-4 victors over Chinese wild cards Xin Gao and Zhe Li.

Elsewhere, fourth seeds Raven Klaasen and Michael Venus, who are one spot behind fourth-placed Germans Krawietz and Mies in the 2019 ATP Doubles Race To London, knocked out Wesley Koolhof and Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 7-6(8) in 87 minutes.

Klaasen and Venus, who are bidding to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the second consecutive year, recovered from 1-3 down in the second set and saved five set points from 2/6 and at 6/7 in the tie-break.

Meanwhile, Rohan Bopanna and Denis Shapovalov beat Russians Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev 6-1, 6-4 in 57 minutes. Hubert Kurkacz and Benoit Paire beat Frenchmen Jeremy Chardy and Fabrice Martin 6-4, 7-6(4) in 70 minutes for a place in the second round.