In an electric atmosphere at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, the excitement is palpable as the quarterfinals unfold. With Novak Djokovic leading the charge as a favorite, the competition intensifies with key matchups set for Thursday.
First on the agenda is the encounter between fourth-seed Novak Djokovic and Zizou Bergs, who is unseeded in this tournament. This marks the inaugural clash between the two players as they vie for a coveted semifinal berth. Djokovic, a seasoned champion of this tournament with four titles under his belt, has forged his path to the final eight by overcoming challengers such as Marin Cilic, Yannick Hanfmann, and Jaume Munar. The Serbian maestro displayed his resilience despite dropping sets against Hanfmann and Munar, notably showcasing a few dramatic moments in his latest match.
Bergs, a rising talent from Belgium ranked 44th in the world, is enjoying a remarkable breakthrough in Shanghai. Prior to this event, his best result at a Masters 1000 event was reaching the second round only once in Miami earlier this year. However, Bergs has stormed through the draw, eliminating formidable opponents including Sebastian Korda, Casper Ruud (who retired in the final set), Francisco Cerundolo, and Gabriel Diallo, the latter of which involved a tense third-set tiebreak where he saved two match points. Nonetheless, facing the in-form Djokovic—who will likely aim to conclude this match efficiently—presents a monumental challenge for the Belgian.
As for predictions, Djokovic is anticipated to stride through this matchup in straight sets, so the forecast is Djokovic winning in two.
The second match features the tenth seed Holger Rune squaring off against qualifier Valentin Vacherot. Ranked 204th, this marks a significant moment for Vacherot as he has never breached the top 100 and finds himself competing at this elite level for the first time. The 26-year-old has had a fairy-tale run at this tournament, qualifying successfully and then dispatching Laslo Djere, Alexander Bublik, Tomas Machac, and Tallon Griekspoor en route to the quarterfinals. Remarkably, before this run, he had only secured one main-draw win at a Masters 1000 event, and that was in Monte Carlo.
Rune, at just 22 years old, possesses a wealth of experience and success on the tour, having previously captured the Paris Masters title in 2022 and being a three-time Masters 1000 finalist, including a notable run at Indian Wells this season. He has reached the Shanghai quarterfinals for the first time with victories against Sebastian Baez, Ugo Humbert, and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. With Rune’s ability to tackle heavy serves effectively, it is expected he will not have significant difficulty against Vacherot in their first face-off.
In summary, the expectations lean towards Rune winning in straightforward fashion as well. The quarterfinals promise exhilarating tennis as these competitors strive for a chance at the coveted title in Shanghai.
