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#NextGenATP Shang off to flying start in Shanghai

  • Posted: Oct 02, 2024

#NextGenATP Shang Juncheng continued his inspired form on home turf as he surged into the second round of the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

The 19-year-old’s prowess from the back of the court was on full display as he battled through fellow #NextGenATP player Coleman Wong, claiming a 6-4, 6-4 victory. Shang fell behind an early break in the second set but soon clicked into gear, rattling off four games on the spin to cross the line in one hour and 36 minutes.

Shang showed glimpses of the reliable tennis that propelled him to his maiden ATP Tour title at the Chengdu Open two weeks ago, establishing himself as the second Chinese man to lift a tour-level trophy.

The No. 52 in the PIF ATP Rankings has set a popcorn second-round contest against World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz, who is fresh off claiming his fourth tour-level title of the year at the China Open in Beijing.

“These three weeks have been unreal for me, I have been so positive on the court, trying to be happy, enjoying the crowd,” Shang said of his stellar run of form. “Against Carlos [Alcaraz], it’s never easy, he’s one of the best players in the world. Hopefully I can bring out some good energy.”

[ATP APP]

Shang wasn’t the only home hope to light up the courts on day one in Shanghai, with Wu Yibing claiming his first tour-level win of the 2024 season.

The 24-year-old, who preceded Shang as the first Chinese man to lift an ATP Tour trophy at the Dallas Open last year, comprehensively defeated Sumit Nagal 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the second round.

Denis Shapovalov secured the 200th tour-level win of his career with a thrilling triumph over Lorenzo Sonego. The Canadian held his nerve to clinch a 7-6(5), 7-6(8) victory over the Italian, edging 2-1 ahead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

Shapovalov faces Ben Shelton in an intriguing second-round clash where he will bid to notch his first win over the American, having been defeated twice already this year.

Elsewhere, Fabio Fognini survived a second-set fightback to overcome compatriot Luciano Darderi 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-4 for his first win in Shanghai since 2019, where he made the quarter-finals. It is the Italian’s eleventh appearance at the event, and he will face Tommy Paul for a spot in the third round.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Monfils earns clinical win in Shanghai opener

  • Posted: Oct 02, 2024

Gael Monfils delivered a vintage performance to kickstart his 2024 campaign at the Rolex Shanghai Masters on Wednesday.

The 38-year-old’s explosive game was on full display as he overpowered Bosnian Damir Dzumhur 6-4, 6-3 to advance to the second round. Monfils crushed 22 winners, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to extend their Lexus ATP Head2Head series lead against Dzumhur to 3-0.

“It was not easy, Damir is a really fast player,” Monfils said after his one-hour and 21-minute victory. “It was a little bit slower with these conditions, so it helped him stay in the points. I couldn’t really power him off the court, but it also helped me sometimes. So, at the end of the day, I tried to focus on my game and use my serve and forehand as much as I can.”

Monfils, the No. 46 in the PIF ATP Rankings, is making his seventh appearance in Shanghai, where his most memorable run came in 2013 after he downed Roger Federer en route to the quarter-finals. He will face Sebastian Baez in the second round this year at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

[ATP APP]

Earlier, Arthur Cazaux proved too good for Marin Cilic as the 22-year-old outlasted the Croatian with some calculated shotmaking to advance. Cazaux clinched a 6-4, 6-4 victory in one hour and 36 minutes.

Cazaux, who set up a second-round clash with Tokyo finalist Ugo Humbert, was one of four French winners on day one in Shanghai.

Arthur Rinderknech overcame Reilly Opelka, 6-4, 7-6(5) in a battle of two of the biggest servers on the ATP Tour, before Alexandre Muller put on the afterburners to finish with a flourish against Luca Nardi. Muller rallied to a 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 win over the Italian. 

Botic van de Zandschulp also got his campaign underway with a sturdy 7-6(5), 6-2 win over Pablo Carreno Busta. The Dutchman was clinical on serve, winning 77 per cent of first-serve points and saving the sole break point he faced in the match.

 

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Sinner rallies to take first set vs. Alcaraz in Beijing

  • Posted: Oct 02, 2024

Jannik Sinner’s resilience has been on full display so far in the championship match at the China Open, where the World No. 1 leads his great rival Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(6).

Despite struggling to find his best level for much of the opening set, Sinner dug deep to recover a 2-5 deficit and clinch the first set in the ATP 500 title showdown via a tie-break. Alcaraz made a confident start in his bid for a third consecutive Lexus ATP Head2Head victory against Sinner but was unable to close out any of the three set points he earned.

Alcaraz frequently dictated play with his consistent, aggressive groundstrokes in the opening exchanges in Beijing, but was unable to serve out for the set at 5-3. He then had a set point on return at 6-5, 30/40, and two more in the tie-break, but Sinner’s ability to raise his level at key moments proved key.

If he can go on to seal victory, Sinner will become just the second man to successfully defend the title in the Chinese capital after record-six-time champion Novak Djokovic (2009-10, 2012-15). The Italian is chasing his 15th consecutive tour-level win following his triumphs at the Cincinnati Open and US Open.

Victory for Sinner would also reassert his dominance in the race for ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours. The 23-year-old is currently 2,990 points clear of second-placed Alcaraz in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and would extend that comfortable lead to 3,160 points by lifting the Beijing trophy.

Alcaraz stepped on court in Beijing looking to extend his winning streak to nine matches. The Spaniard, who has responded superbly to his shock second-round US Open defeat to Botic van de Zandschulp, now seeks a comeback win against Sinner to become the first player to win an ATP 500 on hard courts, clay and grass in series history (since 2009).

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Bolelli/Vavassori reign supreme in Beijing

  • Posted: Oct 02, 2024

Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori made the perfect start to their all-important Asian swing with a dazzling run to the China Open title in Beijing.

The third seeds defeated Wimbledon champions Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara 4-6, 6-3, 10-5 in a thrilling final on Wednesday to capture their third ATP Tour title of 2024. Bolelli and Vavassori’s latest victory represented another big step in their qualification bid for the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.

“We played four really good matches [and] we really enjoyed our time here,” Bolelli said after lifting the trophy. “I’m very happy to share this title with Andrea, we’re having a really good season so we will try to enjoy it and keep going.”

Bolelli and Vavassori are third in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings, 465 points clear of fourth-placed Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson, and are in strong contention to make their maiden team appearance at the season-ending finale in Turin. 

[ATP APP]

The Italians were yet to drop a set in Beijing heading into the showdown match in the Chinese capital, but they found themselves up against the wall when their opponents surged into the lead. However, they held their nerve to save all four break points they faced in the second set, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to level the final 

In the match tie-break, Bolelli and Vavassori stood firm to surge to an unattainable lead, which they were able to close out, clinching victory in one hour and 32 minutes.

With their three tour-level titles in 2024, Patten and Heliovaara are seventh in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Race. The Wimbledon champions will seek strong results in Shanghai and over the coming weeks to secure their spot in a thrilling battle for Turin qualification.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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What is the Shanghai tennis schedule?

  • Posted: Oct 02, 2024

The Rolex Shanghai Masters begins on Wednesday, with a mix of former Top 10 stars and #NextGenATP standouts competing on the ATP Masters 1000 event’s opening day.

Two Chinese players will play on Stadium Court: 2023 Dallas champion Wu Yibing will take on Sumit Nagal and Shang Juncheng will face Coleman Wong.

View the full Wednesday order of play below to see when Gael Monfils, Kei Nishikori, Marin Cilic and more are scheduled to be on court.

[ATP APP]

ORDER OF PLAY – WEDNESDAY, 2 OCTOBER 2024&#x2028

STADIUM COURT start 12:30 p.m.&#x2028
[WC] Wu Yibing (CHN) vs Sumit Nagal (IND)
Gael Monfils (FRA) vs Damir Dzumhur (BIH)&#x2028&#x2028

Not Before 6:30 p.m.&#x2028
Shang Juncheng (CHN) vs [WC] Coleman Wong (HKG)&#x2028
[WC] Kei Nishikori (JPN) vs Mariano Navone (ARG)

SHOW COURT 3 start 12:30 p.m.&#x2028
[PR] Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) vs Botic van de Zandschulp (NED)&#x2028
[PR] Marin Cilic (CRO) vs Arthur Cazaux (FRA)

Not Before 3 p.m.
Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) vs [Q] Denis Shapovalov (CAN)&#x2028
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) vs [Q] Gabriel Diallo (CAN)

GRANDSTAND 2 start 12:30 p.m.
[PR] Reilly Opelka (USA) vs Arthur Rinderknech (FRA)&#x2028
Fabio Fognini (ITA) vs Luciano Darderi (ITA)&#x2028&#x2028

Not Before 3 p.m.&#x2028
Adrian Mannarino (FRA) vs [Q] Zachary Svajda (USA)
[Q] Egor Gerasimov vs Taro Daniel (JPN)

COURT 4 start 12:30 p.m.&#x2028
Luca Nardi (ITA) vs Alexandre Muller (FRA)&#x2028
Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) vs Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP)&#x2028&#x2028

Not Before 3 p.m.&#x2028
[Q] Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) vs Corentin Moutet (FRA)&#x2028
Thiago Seyboth Wild (BRA) vs [Q] Daniel Evans (GBR)

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Medvedev told Alcaraz this hilarious joke after their Beijing SF…

  • Posted: Oct 01, 2024

After Carlos Alcaraz defeated Daniil Medvedev in straight sets on Tuesday evening in the China Open semi-finals, something funny happened.

Medvedev, who had lost, covered his mouth and began whispering to Alcaraz. The 28-year-old gestured to his chest, then his hair. Alcaraz found it hilarious and cracked up.

“I told Carlos next match I’m going to paint my hair blond and put ‘Botic’ here. Maybe this can help,” Medvedev later said. “Today I played pretty well. I don’t see how I could beat him today… Next match I need to try something. Maybe throw him off a little bit. But it’s a joke, of course.”

 

Medvedev referenced Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp, who stunned Alcaraz in the second round of the US Open. The Spaniard has not lost a set en route to the Beijing final.

Although Medvedev fell short to Alcaraz in the ATP 500 semi-final, he was positive about his efforts in Beijing. The former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings defeated Gael Monfils, Adrian Mandarin and Flavio Cobolli.

“The hard-court season, after the Olympic Games, et cetera, was not perfect for me. US Open was a bit better. Then Laver Cup was two tough losses. Okay, it was third-set tie-break,” Medvedev said. “Coming here, I was not feeling great in confidence, in the approach to my tennis. I won three great matches, playing good against three good players in two sets. I played very good against Carlos.”

[ATP APP]

Now Medvedev will turn his attention to the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he will try to earn his first title of the season. The fifth seed will face Thiago Seyboth Wild or qualifier Daniel Evans in his opening match.

“I’m looking forward to Shanghai to try to continue this positive dynamic,” Medvedev said. “That’s what I’m looking for.”

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Sinner vs Alcaraz: A blockbuster Beijing final

  • Posted: Oct 01, 2024

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are 23 and 21, respectively. But they do not play like it, comport themselves like people that age, nor are they viewed as “young”.

Both have already bloomed into full-blown superstars and are poised to lead the sport both at the present and into the future. Showdowns between the pair are not simply tennis matches. They are events, spectacles with the buildup of a heavyweight boxing fight, full of anticipation. Their clash in the final of the China Open on Wednesday will be no different.

Alcaraz will take a 5-4 lead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series into the championship match of the ATP 500. But anything can happen as the two meet for the second consecutive year in Beijing. The only guarantee is excitement.

“It’s going to be a tough match. We know each other very well now, but every match is different, so the situation on the court is also a bit different than it was the last two matches. But let’s see,” Sinner said after his semi-final win against Buyunchaokete. “I’m happy to be here again in the final.”

Both men enter the clash on extended winning streaks. Sinner has emerged victorious from 15 consecutive matches and Alcaraz has won eight in a row.

Sinner is in first in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin by a wide margin, leading second-placed Alcaraz by 2,990 points. The 23-year-old is in great position to become the first Italian to earn ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours. He owns a 59-6 record compared to Alcaraz’s 47-9 mark, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

“My season is going very, very good and playing finals is always a great moment,” Sinner said. “I just hope tomorrow is going to be a good match from both of us.”

Watch Beijing SF Highlights:

 

Alcaraz has won their two meetings this year — a three-setter at Indian Wells and a five-setter at Roland Garros — and claimed major trophies at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Sinner, who leads the Tour with six titles in 2024, triumphed at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

It could come down to who is more opportunistic. Alcaraz has been more dominant in Beijing, reaching the final without dropping a set. However, both men have lost serve just three times, with Sinner saving 81 per cent of the break points he has faced (13/16) compared to 57 per cent for Alcaraz (4/7).

People compare a big showdown in sport to a clash between an unstoppable force and an immovable object. But that insinuates one breaks down the other. Instead, Sinner and Alcaraz are like dance partners, bringing out the best in one another to produce some of the best tennis in recent memory.

“Every time we play against [each other], it’s a good match,” Sinner said after defeating Alcaraz in Beijing last year en route to the semi-finals. “We try to play on our limits.”

[ATP APP]

Both are incredible shotmakers who are capable of turning around a point at any moment. Sinner is a bit more steady in that regard, while Alcaraz is slightly more dynamic with his speed and court coverage.

Do not be surprised when they smile at one another after a sensational point. The Sinner-Alcaraz Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry is the opposite of contentious. They are good friends, who even practised together in Villena last December at Juan Carlos Ferrero’s eponymous academy.

That is not to say that they cross their fingers in the hope of facing off. Alcaraz spoke to the media in Beijing after winning the tournament’s first semi-final against Daniil Medvedev. Who did he want to face, Sinner or Buyunchaokete?

“Obviously Bu. I’m not going to lie,” Alcaraz said, cracking a smile. “Jannik is the best player in the world right now.”

But both men will want the Beijing title badly. Sinner is trying to join Novak Djokovic as just the second man to successfully defend the China Open title. Alcaraz is attempting to become just the fourth man to claim the trophy without dropping a set (Marat Safin, Djokovic 3x and Andy Murray).

The top two players in the world are ready to embrace the moment and put on a show once again.

“I really like the battles,” Alcaraz said. “The toughest matches facing the best players in the world.”

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Djokovic returns, Sinner & Alcaraz lead the way in Shanghai: Scouting Report

  • Posted: Oct 01, 2024

The best players in the world are ready to take on the ATP Masters 1000 event of the Asian Swing, the Rolex Paris Masters.

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz lead the way, while all eyes will be on Novak Djokovic’s return to tournament action. ATPTour.com looks at 10 things to watch in Shanghai.

1) Djokovic back in action: The Serbian, who played one Davis Cup match the week after the US Open, is playing his first tournament since the season’s final major, where he suffered a stunning third-round exit. Djokovic is a four-time champion in Shanghai, where he will try to climb into a Nitto ATP Finals qualifying position. The ninth-placed player in the PIF ATP Live Race will take on Buyunchaokete or #NextGenATP American Alex Michelsen in his opening match.

2) Sinner surging: The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings has found a hot stretch of form, winning the Cincinnati Open, US Open and reaching the final in Beijing, where he will face Alcaraz. With six titles to his name this year, the Italian will try to add a Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 crown to his resume. Sinner will open against Taro Daniel or a qualifier. He could face Medvedev, Alcaraz and Djokovic during his run.

 

3) Alcaraz in form: The Spaniard has won two major titles this year at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and shows no signs of slowing down. But the 21-year-old will need to be sharp from the start in Shanghai, where he debuted last year. Alcaraz will play a #NextGenATP opponent, Shang Juncheng or Coleman Wong, in the second round.

4) Medvedev former champ: Before the Covid-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of three consecutive editions of the Rolex Shanghai Masters, Medvedev lifted the trophy in 2019. The fifth seed has not yet won a title this season, but will keen to change that in China. He will play Thiago Seyboth Wild or a qualifier in the second round.

5) Chinese stars: Chinese men’s tennis is thriving more than ever. Zhang Zhizhen reached a career-high World No. 31 in July, Shang Juncheng claimed his first ATP Tour title just more than a week ago in Chengdu and Buyunchaokete is playing the best tennis of his life, having made his first tour-level semi-final in Hangzhou and another semi-final in Beijing. Wu Yibing, who became the first Chinese ATP Tour singles champion last year in Dallas, and Zhou Yi will also be in action.

6) Fils headlines #NextGenATP stars competing: Arthur Fils is the first-placed player in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah and he brings momentum to Shanghai after claiming the title in Tokyo. The Frenchman plays Roberto Bautista Agut or Roberto Carballes Baena in the second round. Other #NextGenATP players to watch include Shang, Michelsen and Jakub Mensik, who begins his tournament against Pedro Martinez.

 

7) PIF ATP Live Race To Turin: Medvedev is next in line to qualify for the season finale, with Sinner, Alcaraz and Zverev already locked into a Turin spot. Behind Medvedev are fifth seed Taylor Fritz, sixth seed Casper Ruud and seventh seed Andrey Rublev, the 2023 Shanghai finalist, who will all try to consolidate their standing. Eighth-placed Alex de Minaur is out with injury, opening the door for the likes of Djokovic to shake up the Live Race.

8) Nishikori, Wawrinka among wild cards: Former Top 5 stars Kei Nishikori and Stan Wawrinka are among the wild cards at the season’s eighth Masters 1000 event. Nishikori made the semi-finals in 2011 and Wawrinka is a two-time Shanghai quarter-finalist. Wong, Wu and Zhou are the other three singles wild cards.

[ATP APP]

9) Other players to watch: There are plenty of other players who will bring momentum to the Rolex Shanghai Masters. Sixteenth seed Humbert reached the final in Tokyo and will play Arthur Cazaux or Marin Cilic in the second round. Cilic just won a title in Hangzhou. Thirtieth seed Tomas Machac has been enjoying the best season of his career and just made the semi-finals in Tokyo. Ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov is trying to work his way into contention for a place at the Nitto ATP Finals, the event he won in 2017.

10) Tsitsipas Brothers, Fils/Shelton playing doubles: Marcel Granollers/Horacio Zeballos and Marcelo Arevalo/Mate Pavic are the top two seeds in the doubles draws, but there will be no shortage of interesting teams to watch. Stefanos Tsitsipas is competing with his brother, Petros Tsitsipas, Fils is partnering Ben Shelton, Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev are playing together as are Alexander Bublik and Frances Tiafoe.

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