October 11, 2018 -- Shanghai, China

Roger was pushed to three sets yet again in his round of 16 match against crafty Roberto Bautista Agut.

Hanging tight and continuing to push to win his points at the net, the defending champion came away with the a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 win. Next, he will face Kei Nishikori in the Quarterfinals.

"I'm actually quite happy," he said. "I thought that Bautista really had to raise his level of play in that second set to stay with me. I mean, he really caught fire, I thought. I served, I think, 80% in that second set and got broken twice...at the end he got tight. I'm happy that, because of my match yesterday, I was able to stay maybe calmer, even this time around, and come up with a really good game to break at 4-4 and then serve it out was great. I was very happy."

Roger is one of four players currently battling to finish 2018 as the year-end No. 1 in the ATP Rankings. Currently number 2 in the world, he is also hoping to add Shanghai to his long list of career titles.