Shanghai Masters: Safiullin joins Djokovic in last 16

Russian Roman Safiullin edged out American Frances Tiafoe, the No 13 seed, 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (5) to move into the last 16 of the Shanghai Masters at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center on Tuesday.

Safiullin, ranked No 61, will play Serb Novak Djokovic, the No 4 seed, next.

Ahead of his victory, the Russian won against Kazakh qualifier Beibit Zhukayev (7-6, 6-4) and Kazakh Alexander Bublik, the No 23 seed (6-4, 6-2).

Tiafoe, ranked No 17, beat Chinese wildcard Yi Zhou (6-2, 6-4) in the previous round of the Shanghai tournament.

Shanghai Masters 1000, other third-round results (Qi Zhong Tennis Center, hard, USD 8.995.555, most recent results first):

• Tallon Griekspoor vs. Alexander Zverev
• David Goffin vs. Marcos Giron: tuesday
• Novak Djokovic beat Flavio Cobolli (28): 6-1, 6-2
• Holger Rune (12) beat Jiri Lehecka (33): 6-4, 7-5
• Grigor Dimitrov (9) beat Alexei Popyrin (20): 7-6 (5), 6-2
• Ben Shelton (14) beat Roberto Carballes Baena: 6-3, 6-4
• Taylor Fritz (7) beat Yosuke Watanuki (Q): 6-3, 6-4
• Jakub Mensik beat Alexander Shevchenko: 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-2
• Tomas Machac (30) beat Aleksandar Vukic (Q): 6-4, 6-2
• Gael Monfils beat Ugo Humbert (16): 7-6 (7), 2-6, 6-1
• Stefanos Tsitsipas (10) beat Alexandre Muller: 6-3, 7-5
• Tommy Paul (11) beat Alejandro Tabilo (19): 6-7 (2), 7-6 (6), 6-2
• Carlos Alcaraz (3) beat Yibing Wu (WC): 7-6 (5), 6-3
• Jannik Sinner (1) beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry (31): 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2
• Daniil Medvedev (5) beat Matteo Arnaldi (29): 5-7, 6-4, 6-4

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