Norrie out in Shanghai Masters third round
Britain’s Cameron Norrie is left to rue missed opportunities as he is beaten by rising teenage star Learner Tien in the Shanghai Masters third round.
Britain’s Cameron Norrie is left to rue missed opportunities as he is beaten by rising teenage star Learner Tien in the Shanghai Masters third round.
Arthur Rinderknech earned his second consecutive victory against Alexander Zverev on Monday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he rallied past the German 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The Frenchman beat the World No. 3 in five sets at Wimbledon earlier this year and sent the 28-year-old packing once again with a front-footed display at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai. After losing the opening set, Rinderknech won 24 of 29 points at net in sets two and three and looked fresher in the deciding set, with Zverev regularly bending over between points.
Rinderknech has earned a career-best 23 wins in 2025 and is into the fourth round at an ATP Masters 1000 event for the third time. The 30-year-old, who is 3-18 against Top 10 opponents, reached that stage in Toronto and Paris last season.
“This is huge,” Rinderknech said. “I had my first Top 5 win at a Grand Slam at Wimbledon against Sascha and it happens again. I guess I am a bit lucky against him and able to play my best tennis. I need to play my best tennis to beat a guy like Sascha, at No. 3 for many years, such a steady player and a very good player. I am very happy.”
Rinderknech is up five spots to No. 49 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and will next play Jiri Lehecka after the Czech downed Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 6-4. Lehecka has advanced to the last 16 at six of the nine Masters 1000 events.
Zverev was the highest-ranked player left in the draw after Jannik Sinner retired on Sunday due to cramp. The German leaves Shanghai fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, 1,475 points clear of 10th-placed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who is the first player outside the Top 8 cut with ninth-placed Jack Draper sidelined for the rest of the season. Zverev is a two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion.
In other action, #NextGenATP American Learner Tien continued his good form with a 7-6(4), 6-3 triumph against Cameron Norrie. The lefty has won seven of his past eight matches, reaching his maiden ATP Tour final in Beijing last week. He will next play Daniil Medvedev or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in Shanghai, where he is competing at a career-high No. 36.
Tien saved eight of 10 break points in the match, including all six in the second set. Tien was up a break at 4-3 in the second set and was down love-40 before rallying to hold. He then broke Norrie for the fourth time in the match.
“I have a lot of confidence right now,” Tien said. “I have been able to steal some matches where I have been down pretty big and that really feeds my confidence going into these matches, I can find a way through. I think that is the biggest thing.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]With a potential spot at the Nitto ATP Finals looming in the background, Alex de Minaur and Felix Auger-Aliassime are showing no sign of taking their eyes off the ball at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
The duo on Monday each maintained their respective fast starts to the Chinese ATP Masters 1000 with a commanding straight-sets third-round win. The seventh-seeded De Minaur eased past Kamil Majchrzak 6-1, 7-5 in humid conditions, while 12th seed Auger-Aliassime sank Jesper de Jong 6-4, 7-5. Neither De Minaur nor Auger-Aliassime has dropped a set across their opening two rounds in Shanghai.
Mr. Consistent 😎@alexdeminaur books his seventh ATP Masters 1000 fourth round of the season with a 6-1 7-5 win over Majchrzak.@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/uWgdE8yGe5
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 6, 2025
The 26-year-old De Minaur broke Majchrzak’s serve five times en route to his Tour-leading 36th win on hard courts in 2025, with two of those breaks coming after he had dropped serve himself to fall 3-4 behind in the second set. The Australian is seventh in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and remains well placed to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the second consecutive year.
“I came into this week knowing how tough the conditions were going to be,” said De Minaur after his one-hour, 27-minute victory. “So the mindset ultimately is surviving, finding ways, and getting ready for battles every time you step out on the court. There is no such thing as easy matches, especially in these conditions, so I’m glad I was able to compose myself in the second set, get the break back, and finish it off in two. If we had gone into a third, it would have been very physical.”
De Minaur will take on Nuno Borges in the fourth round. The Portuguese ended home #NextGenATP star Shang Juncheng’s run with a 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3 triumph to reach the fourth round at a Masters 1000 for the fourth time in his career, and for the second time on hard courts after Montreal 2024. Should De Minaur defeat Borges in the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash, he will hit 50 tour-level wins in a single season for the first time.
Auger-Aliassime also enjoyed a good day on return in China, where he converted three of four break points he earned against De Jong. The Canadian, who was helped to his feet by a ball kid after slipping in the second set, also won 77 per cent (30/39) of points behind his first serve, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
Now 10-2 since the start of August (with both defeats in that tally coming at the hands of Jannik Sinner), Auger-Aliassime will face eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti or 26th seed Luciano Darderi for a quarter-final spot. The 25-year-old is 10th in the Live Race, just 580 points behind eighth-placed Musetti, as he seeks a Nitto ATP Finals return following his 2022 debut.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]A ball kid enjoyed his moment in the sun on Monday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he came to the aid of Felix Auger-Aliassime in the closing stages of the Canadian’s clash against Jesper de Jong.
Serving at 6-4, 4-5, 15/30, the No. 13 player in the PIF ATP Rankings put on his running shoes to track down a drop shot from the Dutchman but was unable to make up the ground. After lunging forward to get a racquet on the ball, Auger-Aliassime took a slight tumble and found himself sitting on the hard courts at the ATP Masters 1000 event.
Just as he was preparing to return to his feet, a ball kid made his way onto court and offered his hands to the 25-year-old, who was successfully pulled to his feet, with the ball kid receiving loud cheers from the crowd.
Auger-Aliassime went on to seal a 6-4, 7-5 win and will next play Lorenzo Musetti or Luciano Darderi. Auger-Aliassime is 10th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and is aiming to make his second appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals, to be held from 9-16 November. He holds a 36-19 record on the season, according to Infosys ATP Stats and married long-term partner Nina last month.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Collect is back – and it’s getting even more exciting.
After debuting this summer, the experience returns in Shanghai with a new, more personal game mechanic: showing support for your favourite players.
We’re especially excited about this next chapter because it’s been shaped by fans. Here’s what you need to know:
What is Collect?
Collect is the official collection game for tennis fans, created by the ATP in collaboration with Trace. In it, fans can unlock collectibles and the chance to win rewards from the season’s biggest events. It was created to give fans, no matter where they are in the world, a way to mark their love of the game.
What’s new?
In Canada and Cincinnati, the experience centred around collecting matches. Now, it’s all about supporting your favourite players. Each day, you will be able to tell us who you’re rooting for in that day’s matchups. Once you’ve locked in your picks, you’ll receive your digital collectible from the day and entries to win rewards.
Rewards
The more you show your support, the more rewards you’ll have a chance of winning. In Shanghai we have some amazing prizes up for grabs, including official Rolex Shanghai Masters caps, towels and signed balls. There will also be some other surprises along the way.
When does it start?
Collect will start with the quarter-finals through the final of the Rolex Shanghai Masters (9-12 October). Each day’s picks will be open from midnight Shanghai time:
00:00 Shanghai
18:00 CET (-1)
17:00 UK (-1)
12:00 ET (-1)
How can I get involved?
Collect is completely free and open to everyone. Head to https://app.trace.fan/collect/shanghai to get set!
World number 19 Daria Kasatkina says the schedule is “too much, mentally and emotionally”.
Jannik Sinner’s title defence at the Rolex Shanghai Masters came to an end in cruel circumstances on Sunday evening, when the Italian was forced to retire during the deciding set of his third-round clash with Tallon Griekspoor.
Griekspoor led Sinner 6-7(3), 7-5, 3-2 when the No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings was forced to stop in brutally humid conditions in Shanghai. The Italian appeared to be struggling with cramp in his right thigh.
Griekspoor advances 6-7(3), 7-5, *3-2 as Sinner is forced to retire during the third set in Shanghai…@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/ikJUzmts3X
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 5, 2025
Sinner’s physical struggles appeared to begin late in the second set, and he rushed to place ice towels around his neck at the changeover before the start of the third. In the decider, the Italian was limping between points and frequently massaged his right thigh. At the 2-1 changeover, he didn’t sit and instead put his legs up on his bench to try and ward off cramp.
“This is definitely not the way you want to win,” said Griekspoor. “Brutal conditions here in Shanghai all week already. I thought we were a little bit lucky to play in the evening without sun, but two hours and 36 minutes on the clock, middle of the third set… I’m sorry for him, I wish him a speedy recovery.”
Sinner’s physical struggles were exacerbated by the gruelling nature of his clash with Griekspoor. The Dutchman had appeared on the brink of defeat when he slipped to 3-4, 0/40 on serve in the second set, but he rallied to clinch the second set and force a decider.
“The first set was high quality from both, very dominant in the service games,” said the No. 31 in the PIF ATP Rankings Griekspoor. “I thought he played an unbelievable tie-break: He hit a couple of lines, served really well. I got a bit lucky at 3-4 in the second, where I saved 0/40 and served my way out of it. Sometimes you need a little bit of luck to win these matches.”
The first Dutchman to reach the fourth round in Shanghai tournament history, Griekspoor will take on Valentin Vacherot next in China, after the qualifier also advanced via a retirement. Vacherot led Tomas Machac 6-0, 3-1 when the 20th seed was forced to stop.
Sinner’s third-round exit in Shanghai is a major blow for the Italian’s bid to haul in Carlos Alcaraz in the battle for ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours. The Italian trails his rival by 2,540 points in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, which acts as a barometer for the Year-End No. 1 battle.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Novak Djokovic comes from a set down to beat qualifier Yannik Hanfmann 4-6 7-5 6-3 and reach the last 16 at the Shanghai Masters.
Amanda Anisimova continues her breakout year with victory over Linda Noskova to win the China Open and claim her second WTA 1,000 title.
Novak Djokovic survived a night of danger and discomfort on Sunday evening at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, battling through illness and inspired opposition to outlast German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
The record four-time champion was outplayed for much of his third-round clash with Hanfmann, but he dug deep late on, drawing energy from the crowd to keep his title pursuit alive. With his two-hour, 45-minute victory — his second-longest best-of-three-set match in 2025 — Djokovic set a fourth-round meeting with Spain’s Jaume Munar.
What’s that sound? 📣 Oh just Novak with yet another win 😌
He defeats Hanfmann 4-6 7-5 6-3🔥@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/ZeRYkcQh1i
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 5, 2025
“It’s the same for every player out on the court, but it’s brutal,” Djokovic said of the Shanghai conditions. “It’s brutal when you have over 80 per cent of humidity day after day, particularly for the guys when they’re playing during the day with heat, with sun, it’s even more brutal.
“For me, biologically it’s a bit more challenging to deal with it. But I had to really weather the storm today. Yannick played an incredible match from the beginning.”
After falling victim to Hanfmann’s variety and booming serve in the first set — where the German fired four consecutive aces — Djokovic faced additional challenges in the second set. The 38-year-old appeared to vomit during a changeover and began shortening the points in an effort to regain control.
Hanfmann, the No. 150 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, was aiming to become the lowest-ranked player to defeat Djokovic at ATP Masters 1000 level. Despite his aggressive shotmaking, which resulted in 33 winners including 13 aces, he couldn’t hold off Djokovic once he found his rhythm.
Djokovic’s set-point clincher to level the match ignited the Shanghai crowd and marked a decisive turning point. The fourth seed secured an early break in the decider and powered through to victory, improving to 2-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Hanfmann.
“It’s incredible to be here playing in front of a very passionate crowd. First couple matches, packed stadium, one of the nicest and biggest stadiums we have in sports,” said Djokovic, who is 33-10 record in 2025, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. “So it’s stunning, honestly, I cannot ask for more. I’m grinding for almost three hours, third round of a Masters at 38 with the full stadium cheering my name. It’s a dream come true for me so I’m very thankful.”
Watch Djokovic’s set-point clincher:
The turning point in the first set came with a heavy dose of luck. Facing a third break point in the third game, Djokovic could only watch as Hanfmann’s mishit forehand floated over his head, prompting nothing more than a wry smile. Yet once he weathered an evenly contested second set, Djokovic asserted his dominance to reach the round of 16 in Shanghai for the 11th time in as many appearances.
He will take a 1-0 Lexus ATP Head2Head lead into Tuesday’s clash with Munar, who earlier accelerated past Yoshihito Nishioka 6-4, 5-7, 6-1 to reach this stage of a hard-court ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]