The ATP is back in China! The highly anticipated and highly lucrative Rolex Shanghai Masters will make its return after a three-year absence due to COVID-related cancellations and setbacks. The tournament is scheduled to be played from October 2 to 15 at the Qi Zhong Tennis Centre.
The tournament is the flagship event of the men’s game in the Asia-Pacific region, but unfortunately, the much-awaited Shanghai Masters will be missing some of the biggest names in men’s tennis.
Courtesy of SBOTOP, here are some updates on the upcoming Rolex Shanghai Masters.
Djokovic withdraws from Shanghai
The current men’s singles world No. 1 Novak Djokovic just won his 24th major title after claiming his 39th Masters 1000 crown at the US Open in Cincinnati last month. The Joker outplayed reigning Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz in the final to raise the silver cup, a glorious sight tennis fans are too familiar with.
Djokovic and tennis fans around the world will have to wait a little longer to see the Serbian superstar
make his return to the Shanghai Masters since he officially withdrew from participating in the tournament.
“It is disappointing not to have Novak at our tournament as it has always been a pleasure hosting him here. All of us wish him the very best. He has had a very full year and we hope he remains fit and healthy, and we definitely look forward to welcoming him back to the Rolex Shanghai Masters,” Rolex Shanghai Masters Tournament Director Michael Luevano stated in a press release.
The Belgrade native has dominated in China throughout his career. He has won four of his 39 ATP Masters 1000 crowns and an impressive 34-5 record in Shanghai, and he also has six titles and a spotless 29-0 record in Beijing.
Djokovic went to twitter saying: “Over the years, some of the best support I receive anywhere in the world is in China. Shanghai has always been one of my favourite tournaments in the season. I will be missing my #NoleFam in China. I hope that I can come back to China in the future and play in front of all of you again.”
The Rolex Shanghai Masters will still be packed with world-class talent and will have no shortage of top-tier tennis. 2019 Shanghai Masters champion Daniil Medvedev, the 20-year-old phenom and world no. 2 Carlos Alcaras, Greek sensation Stefanos Tsitsipas, and many others will headline the tournament. It’s safe to say that there won’t be any shortage of Shanghai Masters 2023 highlights all tournament long.
With Djokovic withdrawing from the tournament, world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz is set to be the top-seed in Shanghai. Alcaraz has a strong case to be the Shanghai Masters 2023 odds favourite to win the tournament.
Kei Nishikori still mending injuries
Another marquee name that won’t be participating in the upcoming tournament is Kei Nishikori. The injury-riddled Japanese star had already missed a couple of events, and the Shanghai Masters won’t be any different.
The much-awaited comeback of the Japanese veteran looked promising for a brief moment. He made an encouraging return, bagging his first win after being sidelined for 20 months due to injury.
He was a dark horse coming into the 2023 Caribbean Open in Palmas Del Mar, in Puerto Rico. He cruised throughout the whole tourney and faced off against a formidable Michael Zheng in the final. There was no way Nishikori was going to settle for less than a first-place finish in his return, and took care of Zheng 6-2, 7-5 en route to winning the entire tournament.
Nishikori then found his way back on the ATP Tour in 2021. He blazed through a competitive match against Jordan Thompson at the 2023 Atlanta Open in two sets. The former world No. 4 showcased a brand of tennis that reminded everyone why he was the first male Grand Slam singles finalist from Asia.
His meteoric comeback was cut short after losing to Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals in Atlanta. It all went downhill for Nishikori from there, as injuries started to pester him once again, and he even considered retiring from the sport.
“Of course, I’ve been on the verge of retirement. When I saw Roger, I finally though that I can continue playing tennis over 30 years of age,” he said.
He withdrew from the US Open last month to recover from a knee problem, and it will be the same case in Shanghai.
Fans were hoping to see him ready and fit to play in time for the Asian Swing, but given the fact that Nishikori still isn’t ready to suit up for Shanghai, it would be unlikely for him to play in Tokyo for the Japan Open as well.
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