Djokovic 'suffered' during Shanghai win over Cilic

Novak Djokovic says he "suffered a lot" during a hard-fought triumph complete chap seasoned Marin Cilic successful nan 2nd information of nan Shanghai Masters.

The 38-year-old Serb, playing successful his first tourney since nan US Open and his first non-Grand Slam lucifer since May, clinched a 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 triumph successful 1 hr and 54 minutes complete his 37-year-old opponent.

The mixed property of Djokovic and Cilic - 75 years and 139 days - was nan oldest ever betwixt 2 opponents successful an ATP Masters 1000 main tie match.

Little could abstracted nan brace successful nan first group arsenic some players held their service earlier Djokovic took nan tie-break.

Cilic's service was past surgery successful nan 3rd crippled of nan 2nd group and world number 5 Djokovic managed to clasp his ain to unafraid his spot successful nan 3rd round.

Djokovic acknowledged he had to "fire up each engines" to hit Croatia's Cilic successful a grueling brushwood astatine nan Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena.

"I did bask it, but I besides suffered a batch connected nan court," Djokovic said.

"It was a very adjacent match. He was astir apt nan amended subordinate for nan first group and he didn't springiness maine clip to breathe.

"I deliberation I dug myself retired of problem pinch bully serving, which evidently makes maine happy."

Djokovic will look big-serving German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann successful nan 3rd round.

Sixth seed Ben Shelton looked rusty arsenic he mislaid 6-2 6-4 to David Goffin of Belgium.

The 22-year-old American, who has been recovering from a enarthrosis wounded picked up astatine nan US Open, struggled to find his hit successful nan first group and mislaid his service successful nan 3rd and seventh games.

Shelton battled backmost successful nan 2nd but an unforced correction successful nan ninth crippled handed Goffin nan advantage and nan world number 83 closed retired nan contest.

Goffin's reward is simply a third-round lucifer against Canada's Gabriel Diallo, who is seeded 31.

World number 1 Carlos Alcaraz pulled retired of nan Shanghai Open earlier this week pinch nan Spaniard citing "some beingness issues" aft winning nan Japan Open.