Zverev scrapes through, Djokovic cruises to Shanghai Masters last 16

Shanghai: Second seed Alexander Zverev scraped through to the last 16 of the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday, winning two tiebreaks against the Netherland...

Shanghai: Second seed Alexander Zverev scraped through to the last 16 of the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday, winning two tiebreaks against the Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor in an ill-tempered match that ended 7-6 (8/6), 2-6, 7-6 (7/5).

Novak Djokovic meanwhile powered through the third round, steamrolling Italian Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour.

Zverev's first set against 40th-ranked Griekspoor was overshadowed by the German's prolonged, expletive-laden exchange with the umpire when he disagreed with a call.

"I cannot be bothered to go to China in October, for you to screw up this... I cannot, this is not possible," Zverev ranted before tossing his racket across the court.

The world number three claimed the first set, but proceeded to fall apart in the second, with the Dutchman breaking him in the first, third and fifth game.