Jannik Sinner survives Tomas Martin Etcheverry’s test during the Shanghai Masters

World number one Jannik Sinner recovered from a set down to claim a hard-fought victory against Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the third round of the Shanghai Masters.

The Italian top seed was pushed all the way to the front before winning 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 6-2 in two hours and 38 minutes.

In the decider, Sinner held serve in an eleven-minute sixth game to take a 4–2 lead, before winning the next two games to seal the victory.

“It got stressful because if I lose the game 3-2 and he makes the break, we’re tied again,” Sinner said.

“Sometimes you have to wait for your opportunities, which I did, while trying to stay mentally calm, and today that was the key.”

Sinner has won six titles this year, including two Grand Slams, but is playing amid the World Anti-Doping Agency appealing the decision to clear him after he twice tested positive for a banned substance.

He failed to get two break points when leading 6-5 in the first set before his Argentine opponent, who impressed with his big serve and powerful play, won the tiebreak.

Sinner took the fifth game of the second on Etcheverry’s serve with a fizzing forehand down the line, only for the world number 37 to respond by breaking straight back with an equally fine crosscourt forehand.

The Italian secured a second consecutive break, comfortably serving for the set to level the match, before bowing out in the deciding set to reach the last 16, where he would face Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena or American Ben Shelton will play.

“It was a very tough match physically, but also mentally, so I’m very happy to have experienced this one and let’s see what will happen,” Sinner added.

Daniil Medvedev also came through, battling to a 5-7 6-4 6-4 victory against Matteo Arnaldi in two hours and 44 minutes.

Medvedev achieved the decisive break in the ninth game of the deciding set before serving for the match and will play Stefanos Tsitsipas or Alexandre Müller in the last 16.

“It was a very tough match, a very exciting match,” Medvedev said. “I actually felt like tennis is funny there. I felt like in the first set I was probably the better player, got more chances. I didn’t manage to (win) it and played a bad match at the end off the set.” set.

“In the other sets I thought it was closer, maybe he even had an advantage at some points. But that’s why tennis is so crazy: you can win when you don’t expect it, and you can lose when you expect to win, so I’m happy to be back here in two days.”

Play on the outdoor courts was canceled for the second day in a row due to rain, with matches only possible under the roof of the main stadium’s show field.