Djokovic, Federer into QFs; Murray exits Shanghai Masters
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Shanghai, China (SportsNetwork.com) - Current No. 1 Novak Djokovic and former top-ranked great Roger Federer moved on, while British star Andy Murray came up a third-round loser Thursday at the $4.2 million Shanghai Masters tennis event.
The top-seeded two-time reigning champion Djokovic held off Kazakhstan's Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 on the hardcourts at Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena.
Djokovic is undefeated in his last 12 matches in Shanghai and looking to lift the trophy here for the third year in a row. Already a Masters winner in Indian Wells, Miami and Rome this season, the 27-year-old star is chasing his 20th Masters title. He dismantled Tomas Berdych for the China Open championship last week in Beijing.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Djokovic, who beat Juan Martin del Potro in last year's Shanghai finale, has now won his last 27 matches in China.
The third-seeded 2010 Shanghai runner-up Federer cruised past 14th-seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 6-2, while the 11th-seeded Murray gave way to fifth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, on Day 5.
Ferrer moved ahead of Murray in the ATP "Race To London" and broke a two-match losing streak against the Brit in the pair's 13th meeting (Murray leads, 7-6).
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I needed to play my best tennis today," said Ferrer. "Of course it's my goal, and the goal of Andy. I think this match was very important for both players. Today was a good victory."
Murray captured his first title in 15 months in Shenzhen, China, two weeks ago and was a semifinalist in Beijing last week.
He titled in Shanghai in 2010 and 2011 and was the runner-up here in 2012.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Meanwhile, a sixth-seeded Berdych handled 6-foot-10 Croat Ivo Karlovic 6-3, 6-4 and Spanish left-hander Feliciano Lopez bounced 13th-seeded towering American John Isner 6-3, 6-4.
Also on Thursday, France's Gilles Simon grounded Tunisian qualifier Malek Jaziri 6-2, 6-3, Russian Mikhail Youzhny overcame Argentine wild card Juan Monaco 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, and Frenchman Julien Benneteau dismissed American Jack Sock 6-3, 6-4.
Friday's quarterfinals will pit the Wimbledon champion Djokovic against the 2011 Shanghai runner-up Ferrer; the Wimbledon runner-up Federer versus Benneteau; Berdych against Simon; and Youzhny versus Lopez.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This week's big winner will collect $798,450.