Djokovic battles through, Ferrer topples Murray in Shanghai

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World number one Djokovic had a seemingly straightforward third-round tie with Mikhail Kukushkin at the ATP 1000 hard-court event, only to be taken the distance in a 6-3 4-6 6-4 win.

There was no sign of the struggle that was to come for the 2012 and 2013 Shanghai Masters champion in a first set lasting 31 minutes, in which Djokovic hit three aces and lost just five service points.

However, the plucky Kukushkin opened up a 3-0 lead in the second with some aggressive baseline play and saw a set point go begging when leading 5-2.

Djokovic fought back by breaking for 5-4, but Kukushkin immediately returned the favour to level the match.

Normal service resumed in the decider, though, as Djokovic broke for a 3-2 lead and never looked back.

The Serbian now meets Ferrer. The fifth seed boosted his chances of making the ATP World Tour Finals in November with a come-from-behind 2-6 6-1 6-2 victory over Murray, whose own hopes of playing in the season-ending tournament took a blow.

Murray had beaten Ferrer in the 2011 final for his second successive Shanghai Masters title and he dropped just four points on serve on Thursday in a dominant first set.

But from there Ferrer hardly missed a step as he leap-frogged Murray in the race to make the World Tour Finals.

Roger Federer continued his progression in a 6-4 6-2 triumph against Roberto Bautista-Agut.

The solitary break of the opener came in the 10th game and saw Federer take a one-set lead.

The Swiss broke at the first time of asking in the second before comfortably booking a last-eight clash with Julien Benneteau, who defeated Jack Sock 6-3 6-4.

After shocking Rafael Nadal in round two on Wednesday, Feliciano Lopez continued his fine run by beating 13th seed John Isner 6-3 6-4 and will contest the last eight against Mikhail Youzhny, who needed three sets to overcome Juan Monaco.

Ivo Karlovic struck 19 aces, but still failed to find a way past sixth seed Tomas Berdych, who triumphed 6-3 6-4, and the Czech will now face with Gilles Simon for a spot in the last four following the Frenchman's 6-2 6-3 win against Malek Jaziri.

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