Shanghai Masters 2026 Preview: Sinner Out, Zverev Top Seed, Alcaraz and Djokovic in Opposite Halves

The Rolex Shanghai Masters began on Wednesday with Alexander Zverev as top seed, after world No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew. The 96-player draw runs until 18 October at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, with the champion taking 1,000 ranking points and $1,151,380.

Sinner announced his withdrawal on 3 October, citing the right knee problem, identified as iliotibial band syndrome, that has kept him out since Wimbledon in July. He has missed the whole Asian swing, and his next scheduled event is the Vienna Open from 24 October.

His absence opens the race for the top ranking. Sinner leads Zverev by 11,000 points to 9,670, and he is defending only 50 points in Shanghai, so a deep run could take Zverev to No. 1.

Carlos Alcaraz, fresh from defending his Japan Open title in Tokyo, is the second seed and has never gone past the quarter-finals in two previous visits. Reports of the draw describe his half as the softer one, with Juan Manuel Cerundolo and Ignacio Buse among his early opponents, and defending champion Valentin Vacherot in his quarter.

Novak Djokovic, the four-time winner (2012, 2013, 2015 and 2018), arrives after winning the China Open in Beijing. He is seeded 10th with a first-round bye and sits in Zverev's half, where a projected semi-final against Zverev is the main obstacle after a possible third-round meeting with Lorenzo Musetti. Djokovic beat Zverev in the Beijing quarter-finals.

If the seeds hold, Alcaraz would meet the winner of that half in the final on Sunday 18 October.