How many free sports tickets have Starmer and MPs received?
BBC Sport looks at how many free sports tickets MPs have declared in 2024.
BBC Sport looks at how many free sports tickets MPs have declared in 2024.
Defending champion Jannik Sinner did not have things all his own way on his return to the China Open on Thursday, but he found a way to move past Nicolas Jarry and earn his 12th consecutive win.
The Italian was overpowered by the big-hitting Chilean in the first set. However, the top seed would not be denied, raising his consistency, intensity and level to record a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 first-round victory in Beijing.
“He played good tennis,” said Sinner, who is 56-5 on the season. “In the first set I was struggling to return his serve and he broke me. I just tried to stay there mentally. The first round at any tournament is never easy and playing against him is very tough. But I am happy about the performance and how I ended the match.”
Up and Running 💥
Defending champion @janniksin comes from a set down to defeat Jarry 4-6 6-3 6-1 in Beijing!@ChinaOpen | #ChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/2kEi7fWnjK
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 26, 2024
Sinner committed 11 unforced errors and produced a number of stunning baseline passes to blunt the constant net approaches from Jarry, who upset then-World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz for the biggest win of his career in Buenos Aires in February.
“The first-serve was good, the second I have to improve a little,” said Sinner, who won 82 per cent (37/45) of his first-serve points according to Infosys ATP Stats. “He was returning aggressively, so it is not easy. From after US Open we tried to work very hard, change a few things but happy with my process.”
Last year, Sinner soared to the title at the ATP 500 event in Beijing. His run in the Chinese capital was a key major step in the 23-year-old becoming the first Italian No. 1 in the history of PIF ATP Rankings (since 1973).
Sinner has won a Tour-leading seven trophies, including majors at the Australian Open and US Open, since his title run in Beijing in 2023. Competing for the first time since he won the trophy in New York earlier this month, Sinner will next play lucky loser Roman Safiullin or former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka.
The top seed, who levelled his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Jarry at 1-1 following his one-hour, 55-minute win, qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals last month. The Italian will be hoping to go one step better at the prestigious year-end event in November, having lost in the title match to Novak Djokovic last season.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]The ATP Tour’s finest head to China for the eighth ATP Masters 1000 event of 2024 at the Rolex Shanghai Masters. Among those in action are the No.1 in the PIF ATP Rankings Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the Chinese tournament:
When is the Rolex Shanghai Masters?
The ATP Masters 1000 event will be held from 2-13 October. The hard-court tournament, established in 2009, is played at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center. The tournament director is Michael A. Lueveno.
Who is playing at the Rolex Shanghai Masters?
Top 10 stars Sinner, Alcaraz, Zverev, Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Taylor Fritz and Hubert Hurkacz are among those set to compete in Shanghai. Zhang Zhizhen and #NextGenATP Shang Juncheng will lead the home charge.
When is the draw for the Rolex Shanghai Masters?
The Rolex Shanghai Masters draw will be made on Monday, 30 September at 10:30 a.m local time (China Standard Time).
What is the schedule for the Rolex Shanghai Masters?
Qualifying: Monday, 30 September – Tuesday, 1 October at 12:00 p.m.
Main Draw: Wednesday, 2 October – Sunday, 13 October
Start times: Wednesday – Friday (second week) 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, 12 October from 2:00 p.m.
Doubles Final: Sunday, 13 October at 2:00 p.m.
Singles Final: Sunday, 13 October NB 4:30 p.m.
View On Official Website
What is the prize money and points for the Rolex Shanghai Masters?
The prize money for the Rolex Shanghai Masters is US$8,995,555 and the Total Financial Commitment is US$10,298,535.
SINGLES
Winner: $1,100,000/ 1000 points
Finalist: $585,000 / 650 points
Semi-finalist: $325,000/ 400 points
Quarter-finalist: $185,000 / 200 points
Round of 16: $101,000 / 100 points
Round of 32: $59,000 / 50 points
Round of 64: $34,550 / 30 points
Round of 96: $23,250 / 10 points
Qualifying: — / 20 points
Qualifying 2: $13,500 / 10 points
Qualifying 1: $7,000 / 0 points
DOUBLES ($ per team)
Winner: $447,300 / 1000 points
Finalist: $236,800 / 600 points
Semi-finalist: $127,120/ 360 points
Quarter-finalist: $63,600 / 180 points
Round of 16: $34,100 / 90 points
Round of 32: $18,640 / 0 points
Qualifying: — / — points
Qualifying 2: —/ — points
Qualifying 1: —/ — points
How can I watch the Rolex Shanghai Masters?
Watch Live On TennisTV
TV Schedule
How can I follow the Rolex Shanghai Masters?
Hashtag: #RolexShanghaiMasters
Facebook: Rolex Shanghai Masters
Twitter: @SH_RolexMasters
Instagram: rolexshmasters
Who won the last edition of the Rolex Shanghai Masters in 2023?
Hurkacz saved a championship point before defeating Rublev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(8) to claim his second Masters 1000 title. In the doubles, seventh seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos defeated Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden 5-7, 6-2, 10-7 to take their first title in Shanghai.
Who holds the Rolex Shanghai Masters record for most titles, oldest champion, youngest champion and more?
Most Titles, Singles: Novak Djokovic (4)
Most Titles, Doubles: Marcelo Melo (3)
Oldest Champion: Roger Federer, 36, in 2017
Youngest Champion: Andy Murray, 23, in 2010
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 1 Novak Djokovic in 2013, 2015
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 16 Hubert Hurkacz in 2023
Last Home Champion: None
Most Match Wins: Novak Djokovic (34)
View Who Is Playing, Past Champions, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
The day after he lost second spot in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, Alex Michelsen responded in style at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships.
The #NextGenATP American on Thursday upset fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 on his debut at the ATP 500 in Tokyo. With his one-hour, 48-minute win, Michelsen rose back above Chengdu champion Shang Juncheng into second in the Live Race as he bids for his second straight appearance at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.
Flying into the second round ✈️
Alex Michelsen comes from a set down to grab one of the biggest wins of his career, d. Tsitsipas 4-6 6-1 6-2.@japanopentennis | #kinoshitajotennis pic.twitter.com/ifWo8m36K8
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 26, 2024
After coming through qualifying to earn a main-draw spot in Tokyo, Michelsen converted all five break points he earned against Tsitsipas, according to Infosys ATP Stats. The Greek appeared to struggle with the hot and humid conditions in the Japanese capital, and he could not build on his momentum after taking the opening set in the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash.
It was a second Top 20 win on hard courts for the 20-year-old Michelsen, who also defeated Alex de Minaur in Los Cabos earlier this year. His next opponent in Tokyo will be his fellow qualifier Christopher O’Connell, who defeated Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-4, 7-5(5).
Tsitsipas’ defeat was a blow to his hopes of reaching the Nitto ATP Finals for the sixth consecutive year. The 26-year-old remains 12th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, 570 points adrift of eighth-placed Alex de Minaur, who currently occupies the last qualification spot for the prestigious season finale.
There were also first-round victories for a pair of leftys on Thursday in Yoshihito Nishioka and Jack Draper. Japanese star Nishioka saved two match points before prevailing 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-6(5) against Felix Auger-Aliassime.
The Atlanta champion Nishioka snapped a four-match losing streak in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Auger-Aliassime to reach the second round at his home event for just the second time in seven appearances. The World No. 59 will next take on sixth seed Holger Rune, who outlasted Alejandro Tabilo for a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 victory.
US Open semi-finalist Jack Draper earned a more comfortable opening victory. The Briton downed qualifier Mattia Bellucci 6-4, 6-2 to set a second-round meeting with second seed Hubert Hurkacz.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
Adrian Mannarino celebrated a landmark 300th win on the ATP Tour on Thursday as he rallied to defeat Lorenzo Sonego 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 and advance to the second round at the China Open.
The No. 44 in the PIF ATP Rankings converted three of his six break points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to record victory in one hour and 57 minutes. He extended his Lexus ATP Head2Head against the Italian to 3-2, having won the past three matches against his opponent.
[ATP APP]Mannarino became the 12th Frenchman in the Open Era to achieve the milestone. The former No. 17 player, who reached the semi-finals on hard courts at the Dallas Open earlier this year, earned his first tour-level win in October 2008, when he beat Andreas Seppi in Metz.
The 36-year-old has returned to compete in Beijing for the first time since 2016, when he suffered a second-round loss to Rafael Nadal. He made his debut at the event in 2015, falling in the opening round to Yen-Hsun Lu.
The Frenchman will face either compatriot Gael Monfils or third seed Daniil Medvedev in the next round in Beijing.
In other action, Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor downed Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-3, while Jiri Lehecka beat Pedro Martinez 7-6(4), 6-2. Czech Lehecka will next play Roberto Bautista Agut or Arthur Rinderknech, with Griekspoor taking on second seed Carlos Alcaraz or Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Britain’s Jack Draper beats Mattia Bellucci 6-4 6-2 to reach the last 16 of the Japan Open.
Tokyo is a special place for Ben Shelton. After all, it is the city where last October the big-serving American claimed his first ATP Tour title.
Nearly one year later, the 21-year-old, who reached a career-high World No. 13 in the PIF ATP Rankings in August, is back where he made his title breakthrough.
“It just makes me excited to play here again,” Shelton said. “A lot of people talk about the pressure of defending something. I think I play my best tennis in the cities where I have great memories.”
Shelton entered the 2023 Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships just a month after achieving his career-best result at the US Open, where he reached the semi-finals. The American entered the Tokyo main draw unseeded and played in the same half of the draw as Top 10 players Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev.
While both Zverev and Ruud fell in the first and second round, respectively, Shelton’s path presented its own challenges. Three separate matches required three sets, and on each of those occasions, the 21-year-old began the match by losing the opening set.
In addition to winning his first title, the American believes that his thrilling run in Tokyo in 2023 him more fans in Japan.
“My practice courts have been packed so far this year. I think I really created something special in Tokyo last year,” said Shelton. “It was such a cool run for me, and I guess unexpected for me.”
[ATP APP]Shelton’s title defence will begin Wednesday against Reilly Opelka. While Shelton defeated Opelka in two tie-breaks in the first round of the recent Cincinnati Open, the 21-year-old is expecting another stern challenge from his American countryman. This will be their second Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting.
“You play a seven-footer who can make the ball do tricks. It’s difficult. You are not going to feel comfortable out there on the court,” Shelton noted. “Obviously we are good friends. I was able to get it done in Cincinnati, but I’m not expecting it’ll be an easy one.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Casper Ruud’s activities span much further than the lines that enclose a tennis court.
Aside from his golfing escapades and deep admiration for his favourite music artist, The Weeknd, the Norwegian places a lot on the importance of empowering children through sport and education.
Ruud assumed the role of Global Ambassador for the W Initiative in 2022 and hopes to reach out to young people by hosting an annual tennis event. The most recent edition took place on 15 September.
W Initiative is a humanitarian foundation, which aims to improve the quality of life for children and young people from diverse backgrounds, achieved through the support of projects in Norway, as well as abroad in countries such as Uganda and Fiji.
For a third consecutive year, the No. 9 in the PIF ATP Rankings took part in bringing tennis to a wider audience and interacted with the adults of tomorrow. It was a particularly warm occasion this time around as Ruud returned to his native Oslo, where he was once a child with a dream.
“Before coming here, I was aware of the good sporting results they have achieved,” Ruud explained at the recent event. “After today, I also see why. The work they do with children and young people is amazing to see.”
[ATP APP]The event was held at Furuset IF Tennis, which was granted a one million NOK ($95,000 USD) donation from W Initiative for its aligning principles of bettering the quality of life and increasing the opportunities available for young people.
Ruud wasn’t the only household name from Norwegian tennis to be present. His father and coach, Christian Ruud, and countryman Viktor Durasovic, who has shared a team with Ruud at the United Cup and ATP Cup, were also on hand to impart their wisdom.
“It strikes me every time we do this, just how great the joy of sport can be,” chairman and founder of W Initiative Gustav M. Witzøe said. “For many of these children, this is their first encounter with organised sport.
“Us adults think about how important sport is for cohesion, inclusion and belonging. While the children are just having a lot of fun, not thinking at all, just doing.”
Ruud, who reached a career-high of No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings in 2022, is back in action this week as the third seed at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo. The 25-year-old is currently sixth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and will face Australian Jordan Thompson with the hope of boosting his chances of qualification.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Jannik Sinner’s 2024 season reads like a standout resumé. The 23-year-old has won six tour-level titles, including his first two major trophies at the 2024 Australian Open and, most recently, the US Open. In June, he achieved a career-high ranking of World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
Although the Italian has achieved remarkable success in 2024, he still believes there is another gear he can tap into. He hopes to continue that process starting this week at the China Open in Beijing.
“I have to improve a couple of things, which already me and my coach in the US Open swing needed to improve,” Sinner said. “We worked on that and also the physical shape. We tried to improve.”
For a period, a persistent hip injury hampered his form. Despite limitations brought on by the injury, Sinner persevered and lifted a tittle at the Cincinnati Open, with wins over Top 10 opponents Andrey Rublev and Alexander Zverev.
Sinner was then dominant at the US Open, the season’s final major. The World No. 1 defeated 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals and American No. 1 Taylor Fritz en route to the crown.
With his victory in New York, Sinner became the fourth man since 1988, when the Australian Open first switched to hard courts, to win both hard-court majors in the same year, joining Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Mats Wilander.
The 23-year-old’s serving performance separated him from the rest of the pack. Sinner won 87.5 per cent (91/104) of service games at the US Open, another example of what had already become a dominant serving performance in 2024. Since September 2023, Sinner has won 90.7 per cent of service games, more than three per cent higher than his 87. 5 per cent mark in 2023.
However, Sinner is looking to build even more upon his confidence in that area.
[ATP APP]“We are working a lot on the serve. We changed a couple of things there,” Sinner said. “Obviously, the motion I have now is slightly different and new, so I have to get used to it.”
Sinner is also looking to approach the net more often while finding a game style that incorporates a variety of shots.
Next for the Italian is his China Open title defence, which will begin Wednesday against big-serving Chilean Nicolas Jarry.
“I am very happy to be in the position I am in right now. The season is not over. There are some very important tournaments coming up,” Sinner said. “So hopefully I will be ready. One of my main goals for sure now is the year-end [Nitto ATP] Finals in Turin.”
Did You Know?
Sinner leads the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin by 4,305 points over second-placed Alexander Zverev. The Italian is trying to earn ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours for the first time.
The International Tennis Federation has announced the schedule for the 2024 Davis Cup Final 8. The event will take place at the Palacio de Deportes José María Martín Carpena in Malaga from 19-24 November.
The Davis Cup Final 8 will begin with Spain taking on the Netherlands in a quarter-final at 5 p.m. CET on Tuesday 19 November. The match will be followed by Germany facing 2022 champions Canada at 12 p.m. CET on Wednesday 20 November.
In the top half of the draw, on Thursday 21 November, the United States will face Australia during the day session before defending champions Italy plays Argentina in the evening session.
[ATP APP]The semi-finals will begin on Friday 22 November and Saturday 23 November. The 2024 Davis Cup final is slated for Sunday 24 November.
Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner are among the players announced to compete by their respective countries.
Below is the complete schedule for the Final 8:
Quarter-finals
Tuesday 19 November (5 p.m. CET): Netherlands v Spain
Wednesday 20 November (12 p.m. CET): Germany v Canada
Thursday 21 November (10 a.m. CET): USA v Australia
Thursday 21 November (not before 5 p.m. CET): Italy v Argentina
Semi-finals
Friday 22 November (5 p.m. CET): Germany or Canada v Netherlands or Spain
Saturday 23 November (1 p.m. CET): Italy or Argentina v USA or Australia
Final
Sunday 24 November (4 p.m. CET): Winner Semi-final 1 v Winner Semi-final 2
[NEWSLETTER FORM]