The 14th edition of the Rolex Shanghai Masters, the biggest tournament in Asia on the ATP Tour, gets underway on Wednesday with former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka, former World No. 6 Matteo Berrettini, and hometown favourite Zhang Zhizhen the featured players on Stadium Court.
Starting off the order of play is former World No. 7 David Goffin of Belgium and Frenchman Alexandre Muller, who won the only previous meeting in April in the first round of ATP Masters 1000 Madrid. After splitting the first two sets in Madrid, Goffin retired at 0-1 down in the third set with a right foot injury while rushing to the net and was unable to continue the match. He was sidelined for two months before returning at Wimbledon. Since coming back, Goffin has a 2-9 record. Muller is putting together his best pro season with a career-best 21 wins, highlighted by his first ATP Tour title in Hong Kong (d. Nishikori) and a runner-up in Rio de Janeiro (l. to Baez). He has reached a career-high ranking of No. 38.
Next on is another Frenchman, Adrian Mannarino, who won the only previous meeting against Berrettini in the first round of the 2018 Australian Open. Mannarino is 1-5 lifetime in Shanghai and after falling to No. 145 in March, the 37-year-old left-hander has climbed to No. 70, highlighted by the third round at Wimbledon and fourth round results at Masters 1000 Cincinnati and the US Open.
Berrettini is playing in his third tournament since Wimbledon after missing nearly three months with a right oblique injury. The 29-year-old Italian withdrew from Roland-Garros and after a first round loss at Wimbledon, he was sidelined until coming back in mid-September in Hangzhou (1R) followed by Tokyo (2R).He reached the semifinals in his Shanghai debut in 2019.
In the evening session, former World No. 31 Zhang Zhizhen, a wild card entry, makes his fourth appearance (3-3) in his hometown tournament as he takes on Argentine Sebastian Baez. Zhang won the only previous meeting in the second round of 2022 Naples in two tie-breaks. The 28-year-old Shanghai native has dropped to No. 370 in the PIF ATP Rankings after missing six months due to a right shoulder injury. This is Zhang's third tournament back since Indian Wells in March. He reached the second round in Hangzhou and lost in first round in Beijing. His best result here is the fourth round in 2023. The 24-year-old Baez reached a career-high No. 18 in June last year and he has seven career ATP Tour titles, one on hard courts (2023 Winston-Salem).
"This is the third week that I play, so after two weeks it's much better than two weeks ago," said Zhang on Tuesday during Media Day. "Just to get the feelings, play with those players, practice with them, and some matches to get a little bit back to those feelings, you know, those match feelings. Even the first match was very great, but it's not usual. For sure, the second and third match was kind of normal match after six months."
In the final match on, the oldest player in the singles draw, 40-year-old wild card Wawrinka meets Fabian Marozsan of Hungary for the first time. Wawrinka is playing the Rolex Shanghai Masters for the 12th time and he enters with a 13-11 record with quarter-final results in 2013 and 2015. Marozsan reached the quarter-finals in his 2023 debut.
"It's amazing what they are doing and how much they are improving every year," said Wawrinka, who attended Monday's draw ceremony on Grandstand 2. "Shanghai is one of the best 1000s to play and they keep upgrading it. As a player, it's always a pleasure to be back. I have a lot of support here and it's amazing to have the opportunity to play one more time here. I am really grateful to receive the wild card and looking forward to starting the tournament."
On Grandstand 2, there are four matches leading off with Jaume Munar of Spain against Marton Fucsovics. Fucsovics has won both previous meetings, including a quarter-final in August in Winston-Salem where the Hungarian went on to capture his third career ATP Tour title. The 28-year-old Munar is compiling his best pro campaign with a career-high No. 37 ranking last month and personal-best 24 wins this year.
In the second match on, 2014 US Open champion and former World No. 3 Marin Cilic looks for his second win in as many meetings against qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia. Cilic won the previous meeting in the second round of 2021 Stuttgart on grass. Cilic, who is appearing in Shanghai for the 12th time (8-11), is closing in on 600 career wins (593). His best result is the semifinals in 2017. Basilashvili is ranked No. 104 and his career-high is No. 16 in May 2019.
In the third match on, American Sebastian Korda and Zizou Bergs of Belgium square off for the first time. Korda is ranked No. 74 and he's playing in only his fifth tournament since Roland-Garros. He was sidelined for two-and-a-half months due to a right shin stress fracture. Bergs is the No. 1 Belgian ranked a career-high No. 45 and he's had a breakout season, registering a personal-best 24 match wins and reaching ATP Tour finals in Auckland and 's-Hertogenbosch.
Last on is Italian Lorenzo Sonego, who brings a 2-0 head-to-head record in main draw matches against German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann. Sonego also won two of the three previous non tour-level matches.
There are also three other matches on Show Court 3 and three on Court 4.
