Carlos Alcaraz already knows his way in Shanghai | ATP Tour

Shanghai

Alcaraz already knows his way in Shanghai

Four-time champion Djokovic returns to competition

September 30, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz has a formidable challenge at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

After starting the Asian tour strongly in China, where this Monday he will seek to return to the semifinals, the Murcian has the mission of winning the second ATP Masters 1000 of the season after retaining the Indian Wells Cup last March.

Alcaraz will begin the tournament against the Chinese Shang Juncheng or the Hong Kong guest Coleman Wong, with the 25th seed Nicolás Jarry as the first seed that could cross his path. Sebastián Báez and Ugo Humbert also appear in the same sector of the draw, both potential crosses in the fourth round.

Also in the Spaniard’s room are the eighth seed Casper Ruud, the No. 11 seed Tommy Paul and the emerging Tomas Machac, present in the Tokyo semifinals.

The first seed Jannik Sinner will also compete at the top of the draw, with a spectacular roadmap in the Chinese capital.

The Italian could face three former No. 1s in the PIF ATP Rankings – Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals, Alcaraz in the semi-finals and Novak Djokovic in the final – during his run at the Asian ATP Masters 1000.

Sinner will begin his journey against the Japanese Taro Daniel or an opponent from the previous phase, with the figure of Tomás Martín Etcheverry as a possible opponent in the third round. In a path full of great players, profiles like Ben Shelton or Arthur Fils, who will seek the final in Tokyo this Monday, could be crosses in their fourth round.

Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas also share a room with Sinner in the Shanghai team. Daniil, Shanghai champion in 2019, will debut against Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild or a player from the qualifying phase.

Djokovic is set to compete for the second time since being defeated in the second round of the US Open by Alexei Popyrin. The Serbian, who played a Davis Cup match the week after the last grande of the year, he will debut against the American #NextGenATP Alex Michelsen or the emerging Chinese Bu Yunchaokete.

The four-time Rolex Shanghai Masters champion has not played in the tournament since 2019. The event was not held between 2020 and 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Djokovic has always managed to reach at least the quarterfinals in his nine previous appearances in Shanghai.

The second seed Alexander Zverev will debut against an opponent from the qualifying phase. The 2019 runner-up could meet No. 26 seed Jordan Thompson in the third round. Both have shared the four duels of the Lexus ATP Head2Head, maintaining that equality in their two clashes this season.