| September 29, 2024 | by Vivienne Christie |
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Excitement is building at the Qi Zhong Tennis Centre in Shanghai. Many of the world's top names have already gathered at the state-of-the-art venue to contest the 13th edition of the Rolex Shanghai Masters, Asia's biggest and most prestigious ATP tournament.
World No.1 Jannik Sinner, along with top-five colleagues Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev are among those who'll take their place in the 96-player field when main draw matches begin on Wednesday.
Djokovic, a four-time champion of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament, will make his first appearance in the city since 2019. The superstar Serbian, a winner of the 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2018 Rolex Shanghai Masters titles, is aiming to add to his record 40 ATP Masters 1000 victories.
Should Djokovic triumph in China's commercial capital, it will be the 100th singles title of his career.
Signs of a breathtaking new milestone are promising for the 37-year-old, with Djokovic's four Shanghai titles making him the tournament's most prolific champion.
"Maybe I was Chinese in [a] past life," smiled Djokovic when asked to explain his affinity with the region after defeating Borna Coric to claim the 2018 title. "I wouldn't be surprised, to be honest, with the way I feel here and the way I communicate and have [a] relationship with the people.
"It's all very, very positive, for more than 10 years that I have been coming to China. There is something special about this place that makes me feel like at home."
Djokovic's other final wins were over Andy Murray (in 2012), Juan Martin del Potro (2013) and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (2015). He'll face challenging opposition as he aims to add to his Shanghai record in 2024.
World No.5 Medvedev has also lifted the Royal Selangor Pewter-designed trophy - which represents the Magnolia Roof on the main court - claiming the final over Zverev in 2019.
There's also every possibility that a seventh different champion will be crowned at Qi Zhong Tennis Centre this year, with a string of highly credentialled contenders motivated for a Shanghai breakthrough.
Andrey Rublev will aim to improve on last year's performance, where he claimed wins over Tommy Paul, Ugo Humbert and Grigor Dimitrov (among others) before pushing Hubert Hurkacz in a tense three-set final.
With six different champions crowned in the seven ATP Masters 1000 tournaments staged so far this season, there's an equally strong sense that a new star could emerge. That list includes a first-time champion at that level in Australia's Alexei Popyrin, a winner in Montreal.
Others will take to the court determined to make the most of a lucrative opportunity. Former world No.4 Kei Nishikori and three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka are among wildcard recipients for the 2024 edition.
The local charge is led by world No.41 Zhang Zhizhen, No.52 Shang Juncheng and No.96 Buyunchaokete, another wildcard recipient. Each of those Chinese men has built impressive momentum in recent Asian events.
Zhang and Buyunchaokete made history as they contested the recent Hangzhou semifinals, while 19-year-old Shang claimed a first career title in Chengdu last week - becoming the first Chinese player to win an ATP title on home soil.
As the qualifying competition begins at Qi Zhong on Monday, competitive intensity is set to rise. With Roger Federer and Andy Murray also represented on tournament honour rolls, there's a keen appreciation of the elite company to join in Shanghai.
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