Roger Federer was given a huge scare before finally seeing off Russia's Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to open his Shanghai Masters defence in unconvincing fashion yesterday. The Swiss, 37, top seed faces Spain's unseeded Roberto Bautista Agut today in the Last 16. The 20-time Grand Slam champion initially wasted little time stamping his mark on the tournament, breaking the 22nd-ranked Medvedev in the first game.

But Medvedev, fresh from winning the Japan Open, broke back and enjoyed even more luck on Federer's service in the second set. Federer's large cheering squad — decked out in matching red T-shirts — looked on in disbelief as Medvedev grabbed the second set.