Roger Federer survives Medvedev scare in Shanghai

TIL Desk Sports/ Top seed and defending champion Roger Federer battled past in-form Russian Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to reach the last-16 at the Shanghai Masters on Wednesday.

Federer, playing his first Tour-level match since suffering a shock fourth-round defeat by John Millman at the US Open last month, broke Medvedev twice to take the opening set.

Fresh off the biggest title of his career in Tokyo, Medvedev saved a break point early in the second set and that gave him momentum to grab a break of his own to force a decider.

Both players failed to take their opportunities to take an early lead in the final set before two unforced errors from Medvedev handed Federer a break in the ninth game.

The 37-year-old Swiss served out the match in just under two hours to keep hopes of a third Shanghai title alive. He will next face Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut, who beat American Mackenzie McDonald 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.