In a career that has so far included 11 professional singles titles and a peak world No.3 ranking, there aren't many firsts for Stefanos Tsitsipas still to achieve in his professional career.
But being a part of an official draw ceremony at an ATP-level tournament is a new experience for the 26-year-old, who was delighted to be a part of the proceedings as the draw for the 2024 Rolex Shanghai Masters was unveiled.
Tsitsipas was joined by Hong Kong's Coleman Wong as a player representative at the official ceremony held at the Qi Zhong Tennis Centre on Monday, along with numerous dignitaries and many excited fans watching on.
"I got closer to how it feels like, getting these draws made. It's a different type of way to begin the tournament. It's an interesting procedure," said Tsitsipas. "I think I haven't done it since the junior times so getting a feel for the first time of how it's done at a professional level keeps it interesting."
Seeded No.10 at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament, Tsitsipas is thrilled to return to a venue that has delivered memorable career highlights. In 2019, he upset the then-world No.1 in Novak Djokovic to reach the semifinals in Shanghai, where he lost to eventual champion Daniil Medvedev.
"This is one of the tournaments that I like competing [in] the most," he commented of the event, which was awarded the ATP Masters 1000 Tournament of the Year for five straight years between 2009 and 2013.
"Shanghai has been so organised and so good in terms of making the players feel comfortable here," Tsitsipas added. "I've very grateful."
The Hong Kong-born Wong is equally thrilled to compete in Shanghai, with the 20-year-old among five wildcard recipients in the 2024 edition.
"Obviously I'm really excited. It's my first time playing and it's one of the biggest tournaments actually outside of the Grand Slams," said Wong, who fondly recalls "watching all the superstars" compete at Asia's biggest ATP tournament as a younger fan.
Representing Greece and Hong Kong respectively, Tsitsipas and Wong are among players from 28 separate nations competing in the 13th staging of the Rolex Shanghai Masters - that number second only to the 2023 tournament, where players from 29 nations competed.
For the second straight year, France leads in numbers at the prestigious tournament, with 10 Frenchmen competing in the 2024 field. There's also a strong presence from Italy and the US, with nine players from each nation gaining main-draw entry.
The Italian contingent is led by world No.1 Jannik Sinner, who will aim to become the first top seed to claim Rolex Shanghai Masters honours since Novak Djokovic was crowned champion in 2015.
The last time the tournament's top two seeds contested the championship match in Shanghai was when Roger Federer defeated Rafael Nadal to claim his second title in the city.
While the tournament's 32 seeds - who each receive a first-round bye - will inevitably attract much attention at Qi Zhong, there's also high anticipation for local stars.
World No.31 Zhang Zhizhen leads the five Chinese men represented in the 2024 main draw. Bringing positive memories of his history-making progress to the 2023 fourth round, Zhang faces Belgium's Zizou Bergs in his opening match this year.
Fellow Chinese players Shang "Jerry" Juncheng, Wu Yibing, Zhou Yi and Buyunchaokete will also compete in the 2024 edition.
In a tantalising first round, 19-year-old Shang faces fellow next-generation star Wong. "I actually never played Jerry before, but we knew each other for a long time, so I'm really excited for the match," Wong smiled.
With the 2024 edition, marking the Rolex Shanghai Masters' second year as a "Super Masters" tournament, a total of 96 players will vie to lift the magnificent trophy inspired by the stadium's iconic Magnolia Roof.
Among that group are former champions in four-time winner Djokovic (who will face USA's Alex Michelsen or Bu Yumchaeokete in the second round) and 2019 titlist Daniil Medvedev.
There are also rising stars and established contenders vying to claim Asia's most prestigious ATP title. With the 48-player qualifying tournament also underway, competitive spirits are high at Qi Zhong - and so are excitement levels for the top-level tennis ahead.
