SHANGHAI
\nNovak Djokovic said he had to \u201cfire up all engines\u201d as he overcame a stodgy first set to reach the third round of the Shanghai Masters on Friday, beating fellow veteran Marin Cilic 7-6(7\/2), 6-4.
\nThe 38-year-old Serb is chasing a record-extending fifth title in Shan\u00adghai, where he was greeted by rapturous cheers as he entered a stadium packed with adoring Chinese fans.
\nThe combined age of Djokovic and Cilic \u2014 75 years and 139 days \u2014 was the oldest ever between two opponents in an ATP Masters 1000 main draw match.
\n\u201cI did enjoy it, but I also suffered a lot on the court,\u201d Djokovic said after launching his title bid.
\n\u201cIt was a very close match. He was probably the better player for the first set,\u201d he added, saying he needed to \u201cfire up all engines\u201d.
\nThe first set was hard-fought, with 94th-ranked Cilic\u2019s best chance to break the 24-time Grand Slam champion coming but going in the 11th game.
\nDjokovic seemed to regain his footing in the tiebreak, steaming ahead to prevail 7-2.
\nIn the second set the world number five broke the Croat in the third game and then kept his cool in a tense 10th game to secure victory with a final ace.
\nDjokovic said he felt both he and Cilic had \u201cperformed like we were maybe 15 years younger\u201d.
\nThe two players have now faced each other 22 times, with Djokovic winning 20 of those.
\n\u201cWe keep challenging each other, but also the young guys on the tour,\u201d Djokovic said, after playing for the first time since losing to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open semi-finals a month ago.
\n\u201cAt the end of the day, age doesn\u2019t matter when you walk out on the court, you have to find a way to win.\u201d
\nLast year Djokovic lost to world number two Jannik Sinner, 14 years his junior, in the final.
\nOn Thursday he said he would \u201clove to have the chance\u201d to play Sinner again if they meet in the semi-finals.
\nSinner will start his defence against Germany\u2019s Daniel Altmaier on Saturday.
\nMeanwhile, the United States\u2019 Ben Shelton became the first top-10 seed to be booted out of the competition, beaten by 83rd-ranked David Goffin in straight sets.
\nThe Belgian underdog beat 22-year-old Shelton, ranked sixth in the world, 6-2, 6-4.
\nThe 34-year-old broke the American\u2019s serve in the third and seventh games to take the first set in just over half an hour.
\nThe second was more closely fought, but shortly after play resumed following a rain break, Goffin broke in the ninth game after an unforced error by Shelton.
\n\u201cIt was tough to finish it, but I made it with a good service game, so I\u2019m really happy,\u201d said Goffin.
\nShelton has been recovering from a shoulder injury sustained at the US Open.
\nHowever, Goffin has form when it comes to eliminating top players.
\nIn March this year he upset world number one Alcaraz in Miami and last year in Shanghai he knocked out world number three Alexander Zverev.
\nTeenager Learner Tien \u2014 fresh from losing the final of the China Open against Sinner in Beijing on Wednesday \u2014 continued his recent good form, beating Serbia\u2019s Miomir Kecmanovic to advance into the second round.
\nAlcaraz is not in Shanghai after pulling out to rest having won the Japan Open.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
SHANGHAI Novak Djokovic said he had to \u201cfire up all engines\u201d as he overcame a stodgy first set to reach the third round of the Shanghai Masters on Friday, beating fellow veteran Marin Cilic 7-6(7\/2), 6-4. The 38-year-old Serb is chasing a record-extending fifth title in Shan\u00adghai, where he was greeted by rapturous cheers as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":506841,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-506830","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n