Summary World No 1, Novak Djokovic, gears up to claim Shanghai Masters title.
SHANGHAI (AFP) - Novak Djokovic flew to the Shanghai Masters on Monday just hours after lifting his eighth trophy of the year in Beijing -- and few look capable of stopping him grab title number nine this week.
A 6-2, 6-2 victory over long-time rival Rafael Nadal underlined the dominance of the world number one, who stretched his China Open winning streak to 29 matches without dropping a set.
Defending champion Roger Federer and Andy Murray await in China s southeastern metropolis, in what is a challenge of a different order for Djokovic with an elite men s field.
But the 10-time Grand Slam-winner is no stranger to success at Shanghai s Qi Zhong Stadium, after claiming two Masters titles and the 2008 Tennis Masters Cup at the large venue on the city s outskirts.
After a breathtaking China Open, when he lost only 18 games and extended his record to 9-0 in Chinese finals, Djokovic had no doubts about maintaining his level this week.
"Well, I m hoping definitely. I know the conditions are slightly different. I m going to get a couple days of rest and practice and get ready," he said late on Sunday in Beijing.
"I mean, it s not the first time I m playing back-to-back weeks. Next week s tournament is going to be even stronger because obviously all the best players in the world are there.
"This positive week definitely encourages me and gives me a lot of confidence for Shanghai."
Second seed Federer preferred not to dwell on a potential final against Djokovic, as he sizes up his half of the draw which includes Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Kei Nishikori and Stanislas Wawrinka.
"Playing in semis or finals doesn t matter. Looks like you have to beat him at some stage the way he s playing right now. If you play him in the semis or the finals, it doesn t really matter," said the Swiss.
"I don t think that far ahead, to be quite honest."
Britain s Murray is returning from a nearly four-week break as he heads into a busy season s end which will culminate in next month s Davis Cup final against Belgium.
"I feel fresh. The positives of playing a lot of tennis, playing a lot of tournaments is your body gets used to playing matches. You feel confident because you played a lot," said the Scot.
"If you don t play matches for three or four weeks, the beginning of tournaments, it can always be a bit tricky. You don t know exactly how you re going to play, exactly how you re going to feel. I feel fresh. That s good. Mentally I feel fresh, which is good."
Meanwhile Nadal will hope to shake off a right foot injury which slowed him in the Beijing final as he bids to recapture the sort of form which could trouble Djokovic.
"He s the best today without any doubt," he said after Sunday s final. "When somebody s playing like Novak, he s very difficult to beat, especially in his favourite surface."
In Monday s first-round matches, last year s US Open champion Marin Cilic escaped a major shock when he came from a set down and saved a match point before beating China s Wu Di 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also took three sets to subdue Tommy Robredo 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 6-2, while Australia s Nick Krygios reached the second round with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Austrian Andreas Haider-Maurer.
