Shanghai Masters: Grigor Dimitrov Stuns Carlos Alcaraz, Enters into last eight 

Grigor Dimitrov defated Carlos Alcaraz for the first time 5-7 6-2 6-4 on Wednesday to advance into the quarter finals at the Shanghai Masters.

The 32-year-old Bulgarian claimed his biggest win since Indian Wells 2021 after stunning the World No.2 in three sets.

“I stayed in the match, that was the first thing, especially after the first set,” Dimitrov said. “I was serving very well throughout the first set and he made a few errors. I pushed him to make a lot of errors at certain moments. At 4-5 he played an amazing game and another at 6-5. I was creating a lot of opportunities.

“After the second break in the second set I think I understood his service games and was able to put more balls in and read his serve a bit better. I think in the third set it was a bit of cat-and-mouse. I think we both played a solid set. He made a few errors and I was very solid and served well when I had to.”

Dimitrov, who also reached the last eight in Shanghai in 2017, will next play 22nd seed Nicolas Jarry as he seeks his first title since his 2017 Nitto ATP Finals triumph.

The World No. 19 has earned 17 wins against Top 5 opponents, with his previous victory against a player ranked in the Top 2 coming in October 2021 against Daniil Medvedev in Indian Wells. Earlier this month, Dimitrov upset then-World No. 4 Holger Rune in Beijing.

After defeating Alcaraz, Dimitrov will next face birthday boy Nicolas Jarry who on his 28th birthday reached a maiden ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final after he downing Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

Elsewhere, Andrey Rublev reached the last eight after beating Tommy Paul 7-5, 7-5 in the last game of quarter finals fixtures in Shanghai.

Victory will see the World No.5 who is the only top 10 player left in Shanghai next face Ugo Humbert for a place in the semi-finals.