Roger Federer stole the show with a magical between-the-legs shot as the world's top four players sparkled on their way into the third round of the Shanghai Masters on Wednesday.
World number three Federer cut tall American John Isner down to size in a 6-3, 6-4 win with a crowd-pleasing display featuring several volley-fuelled rallies, while world number one Rafa Nadal overcame inspired Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka 6-4, 6-4.
Serbian world number two Novak Djokovic, who defended the China Open in Beijing on Monday, eased past Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic 6-3 6-3, while number four Andy Murray thrashed Chinese wildcard Bai Yan 6-2 6-2.
It was Federer's spectacular showboating shot when he had his back to the net in the second set that drew the day's biggest cheers.
"The reaction to the shot was amazing, as it usually is. I'm hitting that shot so well now," said the 29-year-old who has successfully deployed the shot at the 2007 Dubai Open and the 2009 and 2010 US Opens.
"I've attempted it something like four times in the last few years, and every time I made it -- and won the point off of it."
Top seed Nadal, who is enjoying a hugely successful season after winning three grand slam crowns and a bevy of other top titles, tuned up for his bid to win the tournament he lost in the final last year by defeating a persistent Wawrinka.
"I can't say this was one of the toughest matches because Wawrinka is a very good player and it is very difficult to have a victory in straight sets," said the 24-year-old Spaniard.
"It wasn't easy, but it wasn't one of those very, very difficult days."
In the day's only major upset, holder and sixth seed Nikolay Davydenko was beaten 6-4, 7-6 by Russian compatriot Mischa Zverev, the world number 118.
CROWD FAVOURITE
Fourth seeded Briton and crowd favourite Murray extinguished local hope Bai Yan's ambitions of causing another upset with a 6-2, 6-2 thrashing.
The Scot was full of praise for the 21-year-old Chinese, the world number 465, who displayed his potential to climb up the rankings by shocking Czech Radek Stepanek 24 hours earlier.
"I thought he was good. He has only played eight or nine tournaments this year. If he was from the UK I'm sure we would be very, very excited about him," said Murray.
Fifth seed Robin Soderling of Sweden beat Serb Janko Tipsarevic 6-3, 7-6 to reach the next round but there was no such joy for 10th seeded Andy Roddick.
The American won the first set 6-3 against Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and was eyeing a third-round spot when he pulled up at 3-2 down in the second with a groin strain.
Roddick's injury brought back bad memories of a year ago when he limped out of the tournament in the first set of his second-round match against Wawrinka.
"It's really tough to get hurt or tougher to get hurt up a set and a break," said Roddick who has had a roller-coaster season dealing with injuries.
Elsewhere, Russian eighth seed Mikhail Youzhny was ousted by Germany's Florian Mayer 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 while Croatian 14th seed Marin Cilic went down 6-2, 6-2 to Andreas Seppi of Italy.
Eleventh seed David Ferrer progressed with a 7-6, 6-3 win over Brazil's Thomaz Bellucci while 12th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France overcame American Sam Querrey 7-6, 6-1.
