NO OTHER man has won more matches nor titles in Shanghai, so it should come as no surprise that Novak Djokovic found a way to shake the “rust” off against young American Alex Michelsen. It was far from easy from the former number one who has collected 35 match wins and four titles at the tournament, winning in two tiebreaker sets.

Djokovic has made a living of winning the big points and closing out tiebreakers, with a 7-3 result in the first set and 11-9 result in the second, holding off a determined Michelsen when it counted. The Serbian star was playing his first ATP Tour match – and only second singles match with the Davis Cup being the other – since bowing out in the third round of the US Open.

“It was the first match against Alex and I also hadn’t played in a while, so it took me a little time to get the rust off,” Djokovic said post-match. “He started off terrifically; big serves and an aggressive style of tennis… he’s not afraid to step it up and take it to his opponent.

“It was a very close encounter and I thought a high level of tennis in both sets. I’m just glad to keep calm when it mattered in the second-set tie-break.”

Djokovic looked a mile off the pace early, winning just four points in the first three games and trailing 1-4 in the opening set. Once he got going though, the class was undeniable, hitting some incredible shots that upstaged Michelsen, 17 years his junior.

Then in the second set, it was the opposite with Djokovic cruising early to win four of the first five games. Though to the American’s credit, he fought back to make a game of it.

“I was 4-1 up, 15/40 and he hit the let-cord that went over. It could easily have been 6-1 for me in the second,” Djokovic said. “But at this level, things can change very quickly.

“I’m glad to really be challenged by a young player and I’m looking forward to the next one.”

Djokovic hit four more winners and only four less unforced errors compared to Michelsen, while winning a whopping 77 and 63 per cent of his first and second serve points. He weathered 10 aces off Michelsen’s racquet, while serving seven of his own and successfully winning 37 per cent of his return points as well.

There were plenty of one-sided contests on the day, with the world’s top four players all getting up in straight sets. Beijing finalists Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz wasted no time in posting wins over Taro Daniel and Juncheng Shang respectively, while second seed Alexander Zverev defeated Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci.

Out the outside courts, Czech Jakub Mensik upstaged sixth seed Andrey Rublev, winning 6-7 6-4 6-3 in two and a half hours. Aussie Alexei Popyrin defeated Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3 6-2, while Alexander Shevchenko, Jiri Lehecka and Japanese qualifier Yosuke Watanuki were the other victors.