The first round comes to a close at the Rolex Shanghai Masters on Thursday and local fans will get an opportunity to see their country's top players in action.
Leading off the Stadium Court schedule is Chinese No. 2 wild card Wu Yibing who takes on qualifier Dailbor Svrcina of Czechia for the first time. Wu has jumped from No. 401 in the PIF ATP Rankings in June to No. 159 coming into the tournament. Last year he advanced to a personal-best third round in Shanghai (l. to No. 3 Alcaraz) where he came in ranked No. 560. Srvcina qualified into his second career ATP Masters 1000 tournament (Toronto) and he enters ranked a personal-high No. 91.
In the second match on, big-serving American Reilly Opelka came into Shanghai last year ranked No. 309 and he's climbed to No. 64. The 28-year-old plays Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi for the first time on the ATP Tour. In their previous meeting at the 2018 Bordeaux Challenger, Opelka won 6-4, 6-4 in the second round. Bonzi is one of 12 Frenchmen in the draw, second-most behind 13 Americans.
In the evening session, wild card Shang Juncheng meets American Aleksandar Kovacevic for the first time on the ATP Tour. In July 2022, Shang prevailed in three sets in the semi-finals of the Lexington Challenger en route to his first title. Shang missed six months this season, undergoing right foot surgery on March 5 before returning last month. He is ranked No. 237 and last October he reached a career-high No. 47, highlighted by his maiden ATP Tour title in Chengdu. Kovacevic enters ranked No. 68 and the 27-year-old American is looking for his first main draw win (0-2) in Shanghai.
In the final match on, Chinese No. 1 Bu Yunchaokete squares off with Argentine left-hander Juan Manuel Cerundolo for the first time. Bu is 1-2 in his career in Shanghai and last year he came in here after back-to-back semifinals in Hangzhou and Beijing. Cerundolo is making his main draw debut and he is one of six Argentines in the singles draw. The 23-year-old's brother, Francisco (27), is the No. 1 Argentine ranked No. 21. Juan Manuel is ranked No. 82.
On Grandstand 2, the opening match features Jenson Brooksby, who is making his Shanghai debut, against Japanese qualifier James Trotter in a first-time meeting. The 24-year-old American is ranked No. 57 and he is coming off a semifinal showing in Tokyo where he lost to No. 5 Taylor Fritz. Brooksby captured his first career ATP Tour title in Houston (d. Tiafoe) in April as a qualifier and was also runner-up in Eastbourne (l. to Fritz). Trotter, who was an All-American at Ohio State University, is making his ATP Masters 1000 main draw debut.
In the second match on, Chinese wild card Zhou Yi plays Dutchman Jesper de Jong who is making his Shanghai debut. This is a first-time meeting. The 20-year-old Zhou is ranked No. 308 and last year he made his tournament debut by reaching the second round (d. Nishioka-ret., l. to Tiafoe). The No. 2 Dutchman is ranked No. 81 and he's won a personal-best 15 matches this season, highlighted by his first ATP Tour final in Bastad (l. to Darderi).
In the third match on, American Marcos Giron and qualifier Alejandro Tabilo square off for the first time in the main draw on the ATP Tour. In 2022, the Chilean won 6-3, 7-5, in the first round of qualifying at ATP Masters 1000 Madrid. Tabilo has won 13 of his last 15 overall matches he's played since coming to China last month. He was runner-up at the Guanghzou Challenger (l. to J.M. Cerundolo), won his third career ATP Tour title in Chengdu (d. Musetti, saving 2 MPs) as a qualifer, falling in first round in Tokyo (l. to Bergs) and winning two matches in qualifying here.
Last on is Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech and Serbian Hamad Medjedovic, who won the only previous meeting in the first round of Winston-Salem in August.
There are nine other matches on Show Court 3, Court 4 and Court 7, with five Frenchmen in action - Arthur Cazaux, Quentin Halys, Terence Atmane, along with qualifiers Valentin Royer and Ugo Blanchet.
Leading off the Stadium Court schedule is Chinese No. 2 wild card Wu Yibing who takes on qualifier Dailbor Svrcina of Czechia for the first time. Wu has jumped from No. 401 in the PIF ATP Rankings in June to No. 159 coming into the tournament. Last year he advanced to a personal-best third round in Shanghai (l. to No. 3 Alcaraz) where he came in ranked No. 560. Srvcina qualified into his second career ATP Masters 1000 tournament (Toronto) and he enters ranked a personal-high No. 91.
In the second match on, big-serving American Reilly Opelka came into Shanghai last year ranked No. 309 and he's climbed to No. 64. The 28-year-old plays Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi for the first time on the ATP Tour. In their previous meeting at the 2018 Bordeaux Challenger, Opelka won 6-4, 6-4 in the second round. Bonzi is one of 12 Frenchmen in the draw, second-most behind 13 Americans.
In the evening session, wild card Shang Juncheng meets American Aleksandar Kovacevic for the first time on the ATP Tour. In July 2022, Shang prevailed in three sets in the semi-finals of the Lexington Challenger en route to his first title. Shang missed six months this season, undergoing right foot surgery on March 5 before returning last month. He is ranked No. 237 and last October he reached a career-high No. 47, highlighted by his maiden ATP Tour title in Chengdu. Kovacevic enters ranked No. 68 and the 27-year-old American is looking for his first main draw win (0-2) in Shanghai.
In the final match on, Chinese No. 1 Bu Yunchaokete squares off with Argentine left-hander Juan Manuel Cerundolo for the first time. Bu is 1-2 in his career in Shanghai and last year he came in here after back-to-back semifinals in Hangzhou and Beijing. Cerundolo is making his main draw debut and he is one of six Argentines in the singles draw. The 23-year-old's brother, Francisco (27), is the No. 1 Argentine ranked No. 21. Juan Manuel is ranked No. 82.
On Grandstand 2, the opening match features Jenson Brooksby, who is making his Shanghai debut, against Japanese qualifier James Trotter in a first-time meeting. The 24-year-old American is ranked No. 57 and he is coming off a semifinal showing in Tokyo where he lost to No. 5 Taylor Fritz. Brooksby captured his first career ATP Tour title in Houston (d. Tiafoe) in April as a qualifier and was also runner-up in Eastbourne (l. to Fritz). Trotter, who was an All-American at Ohio State University, is making his ATP Masters 1000 main draw debut.
In the second match on, Chinese wild card Zhou Yi plays Dutchman Jesper de Jong who is making his Shanghai debut. This is a first-time meeting. The 20-year-old Zhou is ranked No. 308 and last year he made his tournament debut by reaching the second round (d. Nishioka-ret., l. to Tiafoe). The No. 2 Dutchman is ranked No. 81 and he's won a personal-best 15 matches this season, highlighted by his first ATP Tour final in Bastad (l. to Darderi).
In the third match on, American Marcos Giron and qualifier Alejandro Tabilo square off for the first time in the main draw on the ATP Tour. In 2022, the Chilean won 6-3, 7-5, in the first round of qualifying at ATP Masters 1000 Madrid. Tabilo has won 13 of his last 15 overall matches he's played since coming to China last month. He was runner-up at the Guanghzou Challenger (l. to J.M. Cerundolo), won his third career ATP Tour title in Chengdu (d. Musetti, saving 2 MPs) as a qualifer, falling in first round in Tokyo (l. to Bergs) and winning two matches in qualifying here.
Last on is Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech and Serbian Hamad Medjedovic, who won the only previous meeting in the first round of Winston-Salem in August.
There are nine other matches on Show Court 3, Court 4 and Court 7, with five Frenchmen in action - Arthur Cazaux, Quentin Halys, Terence Atmane, along with qualifiers Valentin Royer and Ugo Blanchet.
