Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are the two top favorites for the Shanghai Masters 1000, after having faced each other in the ATP Beijing final last week playing one of the best matches of the year. The two players seem to have a very big margin over all other players and both are able to raise their level in the decisive moments. Among the favorites in the eighth Masters 1000 of the season there is also a legend like Novak Djokovic, who did not particularly shine this year and has not yet won an ATP title in 2024.
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The 37-year-old from Belgrade has returned to China after five years and struggled hard at first against young American talent Alex Michelsen. The feeling is that the 24-time Grand Slam champion is one step behind Carlitos and Jannik, who would face each other in the semi-finals if all matches went as predicted.
The 21-year-old from Murcia defeated the young Chinese Shang and Wu in the first two rounds, while the world number 1 beat Taro Daniel and dangerous Argentinian ace Tomas Martin Etcheverry. The Italian ace said he was feeling a bit tired at this point in the season, while Carlitos said he felt great and wantsto stretch his streak of consecutive wins.
The schedule changes
Sinner and Alcaraz played their third round matches yesterday, despite the rain being very much affecting the schedule of the Masters 1000 in Shanghai. Contrary to expectations, the two young champions will not play tomorrow. Due to the rain that has fallen in China today, Jannik and Carlitos still do not know their opponents in the round of 16.
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The world number 1 will face on Wednesday the winner of the match between Ben Shelton and Roberto Carballes Baena (who will play tomorrow), while the 4-time Grand Slam champion awaits one between Gael Monfils and Ugo Humbert. This means that the top two seeders will have two days off before the next round, but those who reach the final will only have one day off from Wednesday to Sunday.
Alcaraz wants to win this tournament: "I feel very good. I have some pain in certain areas of my body, but at normal levels for a tennis player; it's something you have to deal with. The last two matches have been of very high physical intensity, but I feel good and now I have a day off to recover, practice a bit, and take it easy."
He also added: "It's great to see a stadium full supporting tennis and watching the matches. For me, it's fine just to see the atmosphere. I know it's not personal or against me; it's support for my opponent. Having Chinese players in tournaments like this is great for them. Obviously, I'm glad to think I won't play against another Chinese player in the round of 16, so I hope there will be many people on my side in that match."
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The two new dominators
The 21-year-old from Murcia didnt shine last year at this point in the season, so he will have a chance to earn many points in the last tournaments of 2024. Different the speech for Sinner, who had obtained excellent results in the last part of 2023. The 23-year-old from San Candido had won the title in Beijing and Vienna, as well as reaching the final at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.
After the doping case, the Italian ace started a new professional relationship with Marco Panichi and Ulises Badio. "For sure it takes a little bit time to know each other a little bit better. But I feel very comfortable already with them," he said in his latest on-court interview. "And we try to improve a couple of things; we try to change a couple of things, which hopefully makes me a better player and also a better person," the World No. 1 explained. "So, Im happy that they started quite early when I made the decision. This means very much to me."
Panichi and Badio worked with Serbian legend Novak Djokovic for a long time. "For sure, they can help me, you know, especially a little bit off the court, trying to see new things and trying where we can improve as a player. They have a lot of experience. We have some similarities, me and Novak Djokovic, but at the end we are still different, so, you know, we have to try to adapt our, you know, whatever is best for me, and trying to understand. But this, it takes time," he stated. "But I'm very happy to have them on my team."
