TENNIS | SHANGHAI MASTERS 1000
Alcaraz could meet Sinner as Djokovic returns in Shanghai
The Spaniard is in the top tier of the Shanghai Masters 1000 and could face both the Italian and Djokovic in the latter stages.
Carlos Alcaraz already knows what path he will face at the Shanghai Masters 1000 - one of the tournaments that has been most difficult for him on the ATP circuit. The Spanish player has been handed a very tough draw at the event, which also marks Novak Djokovic’s return to competition.
Alcaraz is one of 32 seeded players exempt from the first round and will make his debut in the second round against the winner of the match between China’s Juncheng Shang and Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong.
Whoever advances could face Chilean Nicolás Jarry in the third round. If he makes it to the round of 16, Alcaraz could face Frenchman Ugo Humbert and in a possible quarter-final he could face Tommy Paul or Casper Ruud.
It won’t get any easier from there. Alcaraz would be in for a tough match should he make it to the semi-finals, where Daniil Medvedev or world number one, Italian Jannik Sinner could await.
Sinner and four-time champion Novak Djokovic
Sinner will open his campaign against Japan’s Taro Daniel or a first round qualifier before a possible match against Argentine Tomás Martín Etcheverry in the third round, with Arthur Fils and Ben Shelton in the round of 16, and a thrilling potential quarter-final match against Daniil Medvedev or Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The Shanghai Masters 1000 also marks the return to competition for Serbian Novak Djokovic, who will compete in the lower half of the draw. Djokovic will make his debut against the winner of the match between American Alex Michelsen and China’s Yibing Bu before a possible third round clash with Italian Flavio Cobolli, a round of 16 match against Frances Tiafoe or Alexander Bublik and a possible quarter-final clash with either Grigor Dimitrov or Andrey Rublev
In the semi-finals, Nole could meet Alexander Zverev, the second favourite for the title, which promises to be as exciting as the rest of the Shanghai Masters 1000, which will once again bring together all the biggest tennis stars.
The tournament will be played at at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, starting on Thursday 3 October with the final scheduled for Sunday 13 October. All matches will be shown live on Tennis TV.