Ruthless Roger Federer claimed victory in his Shanghai Masters opener on Tuesday with a straight-sets win over Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
The 38-year-old Swiss won 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) and plays Belgium’s 13th seed David Goffin or Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan in the last 16.
The third-ranked Federer is looking to end the season on a high with a fourth title of the year — although he failed to win a 21st Grand Slam this season.
The 46th-ranked Ramos-Vinolas put up a better fight in the second set, forcing the tie break and taking a 2-0 and then 4-1 lead in it.
But cheered on by his band of local supporters, who held aloft banners proclaiming their hero “superhuman”, Federer won the tie break — and the match — with a forehand smash.
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