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Rolex Shanghai Masters 2024: Draws, Dates, History & All You Need To Know

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

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#NextGenATP Michelsen downs Tsitsipas in Tokyo

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]

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Mannarino records 300th win, advances to Beijing R2

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.

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.

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Draper beats Bellucci to reach Japan Open last 16

Britain’s Jack Draper beats Mattia Bellucci 6-4 6-2 to reach the last 16 of the Japan Open.

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Shelton: ‘I think I really created something special in Tokyo last year’

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.”

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.”

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How Casper Ruud is giving back

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.”

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.

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Sinner, enjoying best season yet, says 'I have to improve'

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.

“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.

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What is the Davis Cup Final 8 schedule?

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.

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

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Nishikori on Tokyo return: 'I might get tight'

There are not many greater feelings in the sport than triumphing at an ATP Tour event held on your home turf, and Kei Nishikori can say he has done it twice.

The Japanese star, who rose to a career-high of World No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings, has flirted with the possibility of returning to the winner’s circle in Tokyo but has admitted that nerves may be there as he prepares to compete at the ATP 500 event for the first time since 2018.

“It’s a big goal to win again this week,” Nishikori said ahead of the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships, which gets underway on Wednesday. “I might get tight but I will try to enjoy it.”

Nishikori twice overcame the threat of Canadian Milos Raonic in the final to clinch the 2012 and 2014 titles in Tokyo and, after receiving a wild card this year, the 34-year-old is making his first appearance in the Japanese capital in six years.

“This is something special to win a title [here], this is my home and I have always watched the tournament when I was little,” Nishikori added. “I know that it’s tough this year, not easy to go far, but I will try to go as far as I can.”

The 12-time ATP Tour titlist has been hampered by injuries in recent years but has been making a steady return to full health, displaying some impressive tennis. Nishikori reached the quarter-finals at an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time since 2019 with his run in Montreal in August.

He then made back-to-back quarter-finals of ATP Challenger events in Como and Genoa before being beaten by Shang Juncheng in the first round of the Chengdu Open, in which the Chinese rising star went on to lift the trophy. 

There is no place like home, and Nishikori recognises the importance of soaking these moments in.

“This is the only time I get a lot of fans, even to practice [sessions], and I don’t usually get this feeling, so I will try to enjoy,” Nishikori said. “It’s great to see many fans show up to this tournament, I always feel a lot of support.”

Nishikori gets his Tokyo campaign underway against Marin Cilic in a repeat of the 2014 US Open final, which the Croatian won in straight sets.

The Japanese leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 9-6 but Cilic will fancy his chances. The former World No.3 in the PIF ATP Rankings comes into the tournament on a five-match winning streak after clinching his first ATP Tour title since 2021 at the Hangzhou Open on Tuesday.

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PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah Update: Shang closes in on Jeddah after Chengdu title

#NextGenATP Chinese star Shang Juncheng made history on Tuesday at the Chengdu Open, where he became the first player born in 2005 to win an ATP Tour title.

The 19-year-old’s success on home soil has further cemented his Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF qualification hopes, with the Chinese lefty poised to compete at the 20-and-under event in Jeddah in December.

Shang is up to second in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, 759 points ahead of ninth-placed Vilius Gaubas, who is just outside the qualification spots.

PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah

The World No. 55 Shang impressed on home soil at the ATP 250 event, moving past Kei Nishikori, Roman Safiullin, Alexander Bublik, Yannick Hanfmann and Lorenzo Musetti to become just the second Chinese man to win a tour-level title after Wu Yibing won in Dallas in 2023.

“It’s always special to play at home, not mentioning to win a title,” Shang told ATPTour.com after triumphing. “I’ve never thought that I would do it this early in my career, but I’m grateful for this one. Just a super special week. I was going match by match, not knowing what will happen in the next one.”

Earlier this month, American Learner Tien boosted his qualification chances by winning his second ATP Challenger Tour crown of the season in Las Vegas. The 18-year-old is seventh in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah and aiming to make his debut at the event.

Eighth-placed Coleman Wong became the first player from Hong Kong since 1972 to win an ATP Tour main draw match when he advanced to the second round in Chengdu. After advancing through qualifying, the 20-year-old eventually lost to Brandon Nakashima.

Shang and fourth-placed Jakub Mensik are in action at the ATP 500 event in Beijing this week, while Race leader Arthur Fils and third-placed Alex Michelsen take to court at the ATP 500 in Tokyo.

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