Shanghai Masters 2026: Draw, Results and Who Is Playing Without Sinner
The Rolex Shanghai Masters 2026 runs October 7-18 at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, with the final on Sunday October 18. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew with the knee injury that has kept him out since Wimbledon, so Alexander Zverev is the top seed ahead of Carlos Alcaraz, fresh from his Tokyo title. Updated 10 October, after the second round's first days: Djokovic, Cobolli, Musetti, Rublev and Humbert are already out, and a No. 277 wildcard, Zhou Yi, has made the headlines. Sources: ATP Tour, Rolex Shanghai Masters, Tennis Majors, puntodebreak.
The context
Updated 10 October, after the second round’s first days. The Rolex Shanghai Masters 2026 is being played from October 7 to 18 at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, on outdoor hard courts, and it looks nothing like the usual script. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, 44-3 this season and holder of the Career Golden Masters after his wins at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome, withdrew around October 3. His knee has kept him off court since Wimbledon in July. “Unfortunately I won’t be able to play at the Rolex Shanghai Masters this year as I had hoped,” he said.
That hands the top seed to Alexander Zverev, ahead of Carlos Alcaraz, Ben Shelton, Félix Auger-Aliassime, Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli, Frances Tiafoe and Arthur Fils. The defending champion is Valentin Vacherot of Monaco, whose 2025 title as the world No. 204 made him the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 champion in history. A year later, the tournament has kept its taste for surprises.
Friday October 9 was brutal for the seeds. Hubert Hurkacz beat four-time champion Novak Djokovic 6-4 6-3, Chinese wildcard Zhou Yi (No. 277) beat Lorenzo Musetti in a final-set tiebreak after saving three set points, Adrian Mannarino removed Cobolli, qualifier Rei Sakamoto beat Andrey Rublev and Arthur Gea knocked out Ugo Humbert. Zverev, Shelton and Tiafoe all came through in straight sets. On Saturday, Auger-Aliassime and Medvedev each recovered from a set down, and Taylor Fritz beat Matteo Arnaldi.
Alcaraz, freshly crowned in Tokyo, opens against Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, with Ignacio Buse, then Vacherot or Tommy Paul, then Medvedev or Fritz as possible next steps. Fils, the Cincinnati champion in August, starts against Pavel Kotov after a Tokyo quarter-final loss to Vacherot, and is seeded to meet Auger-Aliassime in the quarter-finals of Alcaraz’s half. In the top half, Djokovic’s exit removes Zverev’s projected semi-final opponent.
The stakes go beyond the trophy. In the Live Race To Turin, only 1,165 points separate 5th place (Cobolli) from 15th (Auger-Aliassime), with Tiafoe, Fils, Medvedev, De Minaur, Djokovic, Rafael Jódar, Fritz, Mensik and Tommy Paul in between. Eight players qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals, and the final in Shanghai is on Sunday October 18. All matches are on Tennis TV. Sources: ATP Tour, Rolex Shanghai Masters, Tennis Majors, puntodebreak.
People also ask
True or false?
The title holder is Valentin Vacherot, who won in 2025. Sinner was the 2024 champion. (ATP Tour)
He withdrew around October 3 with the knee injury that has sidelined him since Wimbledon. (ATP Tour)
The four-time champion lost his opening match to Hubert Hurkacz, 6-4 6-3. (ATP Tour)
Valentin Vacherot, the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 champion in history. (ATP Tour)
He has just won the ATP 500 in Tokyo. (ATP Tour, puntodebreak)
The ATP has raised the scenario, but it depends on results still to be played. (ATP Tour)