Preview: Basilashvili, Hurkacz Kick Off Day 1 in Shanghai

Nikoloz Basilashvili picked up the biggest title of his career last year at the China Open (d. Del Potro). The No. 15 seed at this year’s Rolex Shanghai Masters aims for another big week in Asia when he begins his campaign on Sunday against his doubles partner this week, Moldovan Radu Albot.

Who will win the first @FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting between these players?#RolexShMasters

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 6, 2019

Rising Pole Hubert Hurkacz, who picked up his first ATP Tour crown this August in Winston-Salem (d. Paire), meets Chinese wild card Zhizhen Zhang. The 22-year-old Zhang won his first-round matches in Zhuhai and Beijing. Portuguese Joao Sousa squares off against Serbian Filip Krajinovic.

Spaniard Fernando Verdasco looks to break the tie (1-1) in his FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry with Taylor Fritz. The 21-year-old American won his maiden ATP Tour title this June in Eastbourne (d. Querrey).

Three first-round doubles match will also take place on Monday, including 2017 champions Henri Kontinen/John Peers taking on Guido Pella/Pablo Cuevas.

ORDER OF PLAY – SUNDAY 6 October 2019
CENTER COURT start 12:00 noon
[15] Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) vs Radu Albot (MDA)
Joao Sousa (POR) vs Filip Krajinovic (SRB)
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) vs Taylor Fritz (USA)
Hubert Hurkacz (POL) vs [WC] Zhizhen Zhang (CHN)

Show Court 3 start 12:00 noon
Qualifying – Vasek Pospisil (CAN) vs Marcel Granollers (ESP)
Qualifying – [7] Cameron Norrie (GBR) vs [12] Thomas Fabbiano (ITA)
Qualifying – [1] Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) vs [11] Dominik Koepfer (GER)
[8] Mate Pavic (CRO) / Bruno Soares (BRA) vs Adrian Mannarino (FRA) / Gael Monfils (FRA)

Court 4 start 1:00 pm
Qualifying – [5] Juan Ignacio Londero (ARG) vs Bradley Klahn (USA)
John Isner (USA) / Sam Querrey (USA) vs Alex de Minaur (AUS) / Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP)
Henri Kontinen (FIN) / John Peers (AUS) vs Pablo Cuevas (URU) / Guido Pella (ARG)

To view the remainder of Sunday’s order of play, click here.