In a promising start to his title defense at the Shanghai Masters, Jannik Sinner showcased his formidable skills by defeating Daniel Altmaier with a decisive score of 6-3, 6-3. This victory not only marked a successful reopening of the tournament for the second-ranked player but also served as a personal redemption after his earlier defeat to Altmaier at the 2023 French Open, where he squandered two match points.
Sinner’s win extended his current winning streak to six matches, following his triumph at the China Open earlier in the week. “I knew before the match it was going to be very difficult today,” Sinner acknowledged. “I didn’t have a lot of time to adapt here. But it makes it even more special.”
Looking forward, he is set to face Tallon Griekspoor in the next round, a player he has a perfect record against, leading their career meetings 6-0. Reflecting on the challenges of adjusting to the Shanghai conditions after Beijing, Sinner commented on the humidity and the physical demands of the venue. He noted the importance of balancing recovery with practice to maintain his physicality throughout the tournament.
Seventh seed Alex de Minaur also progressed to the next stage with a comfortable victory, beating Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-4, 6-2. De Minaur’s form is gradually improving after his exit in the semifinals against Sinner in Beijing.
Other notable results from the tournament included Daniil Medvedev demolishing qualifier Dalibor Svrcina with a score of 6-1, 6-1, while Yoshihito Nishioka pulled off an upset against the 13th seed Andrey Rublev, managing to turn the match around after dropping the first set, ultimately winning 2-6, 6-1, 6-4. The 12th-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated Alejandro Tabilo 6-3, 6-3, and Kamil Majchrzak concluded the day with a convincing win over 29th-seed Brandon Nakashima, finishing 6-4, 6-0.
Among the top-ranked players, Carlos Alcaraz, the number one seed, withdrew from the tournament due to an ankle injury, leaving the field more open for the remaining competitors. As the tournament unfolds, Sinner and de Minaur look poised to make deep runs, while other rising talents are eager to capitalize on the absence of some of the bigger names in the draw.
