Zizou Bergs completed a Rolex Shanghai Masters upset with big-picture consequences on Monday evening at the ATP Masters 1000 event.
The No. 39 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, Bergs upset second seed Carlos Alcaraz 7-5, 7-6(4) inside Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena to advance to the fourth round in Shanghai. Bergs delivered a high-class all-around display, capitalising on the fast court conditions to break World No. 3 Alcaraz’s serve three times and seal the biggest win of his career by PIF ATP Ranking.
“This is something that has been very tough for me," Bergs said, when asked about getting a win against one of the biggest stars on the ATP Tour. "I often have too much respect for these guys, which is part of my culture and I’m proud of that. But it gets a little bit in the way when you have to play them. I had a great moment here last year against [Novak] Djokovic where I was definitely playing the name, not the guy.
“The more experience you have practising against them and playing matches, the more it becomes the new standard a little bit. To have this moment, for me it is a little bit of a relief. I feel like now I really can win against these guys. Not just I can play against them, but I can win against them.”
With his two-hour, three-minute victory against Alcaraz, Bergs simultaneously ensured that Alexander Zverev will finish 2026 with ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours. Zverev, who is the current World No. 2, will become the first German to finish as year-end No. 1.
Having reached his first Masters 1000 quarter-final in Shanghai a year ago, Bergs will bid to equal that run when he takes on Tommy Paul in this year’s fourth round.
“It’s a little bit of disbelief and also not feeling too much,” Bergs reflected after levelling his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Alcaraz at 1-1. “It’s one of the moments where you don’t really realise what is going on, you’re just really in the moment and being focused on the points you have to play. Now one minute after the match, it is tough to calm down a little bit, but I will be very happy.”
Bergs hardly put a foot wrong in his second tour-level meeting with Alcaraz, at least until he served for the match at 5-4 in the second set. Roared on by a Shanghai crowd eager for more action, Alcaraz capitalised on a drop in the 27-year-old Belgian’s level to break serve and force a tie-break.
Yet Bergs put that disappointment behind him in impressive and rapid fashion. In a high-quality tie-break, he forged an early 3/1 lead, and although he then served a double fault to give Alcaraz an opening, the Belgian reeled off three points from 4/4 to wrap a famous win.
Bergs. who became an ATP Tour champion for the first time earlier this year on the grass of Eastbourne, was particularly potent on serve against Alcaraz in Shanghai: He won 79 per cent (37/47) of points behind his first serve, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
“Obviously I really tried to play my game," Bergs said. "I just felt like last week in Tokyo I really was in good shape, this week in training as well. Just feeling the ball, being aggressive and also serving quite well. The percentages have been really high in the past few matches because we really worked on it, and this gave me a little bit of breathing room. I have a good return, and if I serve well, I can utilise this even more.
“I’m very happy how I handled the tie-break. It’s never easy to get broken when you are serving for the match, but to get back in the tie-break and play those key moments, serve big, I’m very happy with that one especially.”
Bergs’ next opponent Paul booked his fourth-round berth by ending Valentin Vacherot’s title defence with a 6-4, 6-2 victory. The 29-year-old Paul, who is 14th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and seeking a deep run in Shanghai to boost his Nitto ATP Finals qualification hopes, converted four of six break points he earned in his 85-minute triumph.
Although Vacherot, who became the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 titlist in history in Shanghai a year ago, will slip down the rankings as a result of his third-round loss, the Monegasque’s solid form in 2026 will ensure he remains a Top-40 player: The 27-year-old is currently down 18 spots to No. 32 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.
