Shanghai Masters 2026 Preview: Zverev, Alcaraz and Djokovic Lead the Field After Sinner Withdraws
The Asian swing heads into its biggest event with the Rolex Shanghai Masters, but the tournament will be missing the player who has dominated the 2026 ATP season.
Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from Shanghai because of the knee injury that has kept him out of competition since his Wimbledon triumph in July. His absence leaves the Masters 1000 title wide open and gives Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic a major opportunity in the final stretch of the season.
The Shanghai Masters will be played from October 7–18 at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center. The expanded 96-player draw makes it one of the most demanding events of the Asian swing, while the 1,000 ranking points on offer could have a major impact on the race for No. 1 and the ATP Finals.
With Sinner out, who are the players to watch in Shanghai?
Sinner's Absence Changes Everything
Sinner’s withdrawal is the biggest story heading into the tournament.
The Italian has not played an official match since defeating Alexander Zverev in the Wimbledon final in July. Before his injury, he had put together a remarkable 44–3 record in 2026 and had won five Masters 1000 titles — Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome — before successfully defending his Wimbledon crown.
Shanghai was also one of Sinner’s most important tournaments in recent years. He won the title in 2024 by defeating Djokovic in the final, and that victory was part of the season in which he established himself as the dominant force in men’s tennis.
Now, instead of defending those 1,000 points, Sinner will have to continue his recovery away from competition.
His absence also opens the door for Alexander Zverev to make another move towards the World No. 1 ranking. The German is currently No. 2 and has been closing the gap on Sinner during the Italian’s extended absence.
Zverev Arrives as the Man to Beat
If Shanghai needs a favourite, Alexander Zverev has the strongest case. The German has enjoyed the defining season of his career in 2026, winning his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros before adding a second major at the US Open.
His victory in New York was particularly significant. Zverev defeated Ben Shelton in the final to claim his first US Open title and entered the Asian swing as one of the leading candidates to finish the year as World No. 1. He is also already in good competitive rhythm.
While Sinner has been sidelined since Wimbledon, Zverev has continued to compete and arrived in Beijing in strong form. At the China Open, he defeated Cameron Norrie and then home favourite Shang Juncheng to reach the quarter-finals, where he is set to face Djokovic.
That match will provide an early indication of where two of Shanghai’s biggest contenders stand before the Masters 1000 begins. Zverev has also won in Shanghai before, lifting the trophy in 2020. With his confidence high and the No. 1 ranking now within reach, the German has plenty of motivation.
Alcaraz Returns to the Asian Swing
Carlos Alcaraz is another major contender, although his route to Shanghai is slightly different. The Spaniard returned to the Tour at the US Open after several months away and reached the quarter-finals, where he lost a dramatic five-set match to Ben Shelton. He then moved into the Asian swing and is competing at the Japan Open in Tokyo.
Alcaraz is chasing his first Shanghai title. He has already won major hard-court events in his career, including the US Open and Indian Wells, but Shanghai remains one of the Masters 1000 trophies missing from his collection. His current form will be particularly interesting to follow.
The 2026 season has been interrupted by injury, but Alcaraz remains one of the most dangerous players in the field when he finds his rhythm. His combination of explosive forehand power, athleticism and ability to change the pace of rallies makes him particularly difficult to handle on hard courts. And with Sinner absent, the potential rivalry between Alcaraz and Zverev becomes one of the main storylines of the tournament.
Djokovic Chases a Fifth Shanghai Title
Few players have a stronger connection with the Shanghai Masters than Novak Djokovic. The Serbian is the tournament’s record four-time singles champion, having won the title in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2018. He also holds the tournament record for match wins, with 43.
Djokovic will therefore have history on his side when he returns to the Qi Zhong Tennis Center. He will also be looking for a response after a difficult US Open, where he suffered the first first-round defeat of his career at Flushing Meadows against Mariano Navone. His current China Open campaign offers an important opportunity to regain momentum. Djokovic has reached the quarter-finals in Beijing and will face Zverev in one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament.
At 39, Djokovic no longer plays every tournament on the calendar, making his presence in Shanghai particularly significant. If he finds his best level, however, the four-time champion remains a genuine title threat.
The Defending Champion: Valentin Vacherot
One of the most fascinating players in the draw will be the defending champion. Valentin Vacherot produced one of the greatest Cinderella stories in Masters 1000 history in 2025.
The Monegasque entered the tournament ranked No. 204 in the world, came through qualifying and went on to defeat several higher-ranked opponents before beating his cousin Arthur Rinderknech in the final. The victory made Vacherot the lowest-ranked player ever to win an ATP Masters 1000 title and the first Monegasque to win an ATP Tour singles trophy. His return to Shanghai will therefore be one of the stories of the tournament.
The challenge this time is completely different. Instead of arriving as an unknown qualifier, Vacherot will be the defending champion and a player everyone in the draw knows can win at this level. He is currently ranked inside the world’s top 20 and will be seeded for the tournament.
Players to Watch Behind the Favourites
The Shanghai draw is deep enough to produce several dangerous outsiders.
Ben Shelton
Shelton arrives with considerable confidence after reaching his first Grand Slam final at the US Open. The American defeated Alcaraz in New York before losing to Zverev in the final. He also won the Canadian Open earlier in the summer, establishing himself as one of the most dangerous hard-court players outside the traditional elite. His combination of a huge left-handed serve and aggressive baseline tennis makes him a natural threat on Shanghai’s hard courts.
Flavio Cobolli
Cobolli has quietly become one of the most important young players of 2026. The Italian reached the Roland Garros final, made the Wimbledon quarter-finals and climbed into the world’s top 10 during the summer. His development has been one of the most impressive stories of the season, and Shanghai offers another opportunity to prove that his breakthrough is sustainable.
Daniil Medvedev
Medvedev is another former Shanghai champion in the field. The Russian won the title in 2019 and has historically been one of the most difficult opponents to face on hard courts. After a turbulent period by his usual standards, another deep Masters 1000 run would be significant as he looks to finish the season strongly.
Felix Auger-Aliassime and Frances Tiafoe
Both Auger-Aliassime and Tiafoe enter Shanghai among the seeded players and have the weapons to cause problems in a 96-player draw. Tiafoe reached the US Open semi-finals before losing to Shelton, while Auger-Aliassime remains one of the most dangerous servers in the field when his first-strike tennis is working.
The Race for No. 1
The Shanghai Masters also matters enormously beyond the title itself.
Sinner remains World No. 1, but Zverev is closing the gap. The German’s results in Shanghai, together with Alcaraz’s performance, could significantly reshape the rankings during the Asian swing. The ATP has already identified Zverev’s pursuit of the top spot as one of the major storylines of the autumn.
Sinner’s absence makes the situation even more interesting. The Italian cannot add points in Shanghai, while Zverev has the opportunity to make a significant move.
With the Paris Masters still to come later in the season, the battle for No. 1 is far from over.
The Race to Turin
Shanghai is also one of the most important remaining tournaments for players fighting to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals. The winner receives 1,000 ranking points, while the finalists receive 650 and the semi-finalists 400.
Zverev, Sinner and Alcaraz have already secured their places in Turin, but the situation behind them remains much more competitive.
For players such as Shelton, Cobolli, Medvedev and the other contenders in the field, a deep run in Shanghai could make a substantial difference before the final European swing.
What to Expect in Shanghai
The 2026 Shanghai Masters will be different from the tournament that fans expected only a few weeks ago.
Sinner’s absence removes the player who has dominated the Masters 1000 season, but it also creates one of the most open title races of the year. Zverev arrives as the reigning US Open and Roland Garros champion and has the chance to make another step towards World No. 1. Alcaraz is rebuilding his momentum after returning from injury. Djokovic is chasing a record fifth Shanghai title. And Vacherot returns as the defending champion after producing one of the most improbable Masters 1000 victories in recent history. Behind them, Shelton, Cobolli, Medvedev and a deep group of contenders could make the tournament even more unpredictable.
The draw will be made on October 5, with the top 32 seeds receiving first-round byes. The main draw begins on October 7. One thing is already certain: with Sinner watching from the sidelines, the Shanghai Masters has become one of the biggest opportunities of the final part of the 2026 season. And with the World No. 1 battle, the Race to Turin and a Masters 1000 title all on the line, the road to Shanghai could hardly be more intriguing.