Djokovic battles through injury to reach last eight
Novak Djokovic overcomes injury issues and sweltering heat as he beats Jaume Munar to continue his bid for a fifth Shanghai Masters title.
Novak Djokovic overcomes injury issues and sweltering heat as he beats Jaume Munar to continue his bid for a fifth Shanghai Masters title.
Novak Djokovic overcame pain in his left ankle, the Shanghai humidity and the challenge of Jaume Munar to reach the quarter-finals at the Rolex Shanghai Masters for the 11th time on Tuesday.
The Serbian received multiple medical timeouts for a leg issue during the two-hour, 40-minute clash and frequently placed an ice towel over his head during changeovers, with humidity levels exceeding 82 per cent. Djokovic threw up courtside on several occasions and collapsed to the floor after losing the second set before he received medical support.
However, despite the challenging conditions, the 38-year-old dug deep to grind down Munar 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 in one of the most physical matches of the season.
After losing the second set, Djokovic capitalised on a crucial Munar error at the start of the third set to regain momentum. Serving at 0-0, 40/15, Munar missed a simple smash wide, allowing an opening for the Serbian. Djokovic went on to break Munar’s serve and then was aggressive in the decider in an attempt to shorten the rallies. The 40-time Masters 1000 champion produced a 9.6 shot quality on the forehand in the third set, hitting at an average speed of 84 mph on that stroke to dictate and triumph.
Shot Quality measures the quality of the player’s serve, return, forehand and backhand on a 0-10 scale. They are calculated in real-time by analysing each shot’s speed, spin, depth, width, and the impact it has on the opponent.
Djokovic has reached the quarter-finals in all 11 of his Shanghai appearances, lifting the trophy a record four times. The No. 5 player in the PIF ATP Rankings is the highest-ranked left player in the draw and he will next meet Belgian Zizou Bergs.
The Serbian is chasing a record-extending 41st ATP Masters 1000 title and first since he won in Paris in 2023. Earlier this year, he lost in the Miami final to #NextGenATP Czech Jakub Mensik. The record seven-time Nitto ATP Finals champion is currently third in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, with a 35-10 standing on the year, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Holger Rune moved a step closer to his first ATP Masters 1000 title in almost three years on Tuesday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he overcame big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4, 6-7(7), 6-3.
The Dane, who won his lone Masters 1000 crown in Paris in 2022, had to remain patient against Mpetshi Perricard. Rune won just 27 per cent (17/63) of points on the Frenchman’s serve, according to Infosys ATP Stats, but earned two crucial breaks in the match to advance to the quarter-finals after two hours and 30 minutes. The five-time tour-level titlist now leads the 32nd seed 2-1 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
“I managed to break him twice. He was serving very well today,” Rune said. “He also showed his level against Fritz, he is a tough player to beat on this surface. The conditions were a bit better to play in today. I am very happy with my mindset today. I stayed in there every point and I was a bit frustrated I lost the second set but I came back and was determined for the third set and managed to hold my nerve.”
Rune’s best result at this level in 2025 came in Indian Wells, where he lost to Jack Draper in the final. Aiming to continue his run this week, the 10th seed will next play Tallon Griekspoor or qualifier Valentin Vacherot.
Rune is 12th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, currently 945 points behind eighth-placed Lorenzo Musetti, who is still alive in Shanghai. Rune would move to 3,290 points with a title showing at the hard-court event. The 22-year-old is aiming to make his second appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals, having fallen in the round-robin stage in 2023.
In the first match of the day, Zizou Bergs saved two match points to claw past Canadian Gabriel Diallo 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(8) and reach his maiden ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final.
The 26-year-old recovered from squandering a 4-1 lead in the decider, saving match points in the third-set tie-break at 6/7 and 7/8 before sealing victory on his third match point after two hours and 49 minutes.
After the match, Bergs was asked whether it was easier to save the match points or convert one of his opportunities.
“Well, probably the saving ones (match points) because it was on his serve,” said Bergs. “It’s easier to finish a match while serving than trying to save the match while returning. But in the end it’s really difficult. He doesn’t give me any free points. All the match points I really had to go and look for it. So, in the end, you have to stay calm, but at the same time aggressive. Luckily, I managed to do that.”
Bergs is the fifth Belgian man to reach the quarter-finals at a Masters 1000 and the second in Shanghai, joining David Goffin (2016, ‘24). He is up six spots to No. 38 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and is set to rise to a career-high on Monday. Aiming to keep his run going, Bergs could meet Novak Djokovic in the last eight. The Serbian plays Jaume Munar later on Tuesday.
“It means a lot and you probably saw it in my reaction,” said Bergs, who fell to the ground after reaching the last eight. “It’s quite amazing and I feel like my trajectory is a little different, the speed of my path is different. I’m 26 and I’m reaching continuously my career high. I know it’s not going to be only ups, and I’ve had my downs as well this year, but I’m really curious to see where my potential’s going to bring me.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]World number one Carlos Alcaraz will headline the new Million Dollar One Point Slam, which pits amateurs against professionals before January’s Australian Open.
British number one Emma Raducanu looks devoid of energy and appears to struggle with the hot and humid conditions before retiring in China.
Jannik Sinner’s hopes of securing ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours are dwindling.
Carlos Alcaraz is in full command of his year-end No. 1 battle with the Italian following Sinner’s retirement in the third set of his third-round match at the Rolex Shanghai Masters against Tallon Griekspoor.
Alcaraz leads Sinner by 2,540 points in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, which serves as a barometer for the year-end No. 1 battle. The honour is not completely out of reach for the Italian, but he will need to be close to perfect the rest of the season to have any chance.
Sinner is next scheduled to compete in Vienna before the final ATP Masters 1000 event of the season in Paris and the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. The 24-year-old could earn a maximum 3,000 points at those events.
Alcaraz is next scheduled to play in Paris and at the Nitto ATP Finals, giving him a chance to earn 2,500 points if he does not accept a wild card into another tournament this season.
Had Sinner successfully defended the Rolex Shanghai Masters title, he would have pulled to within 1,590 points of his rival in the Live Race, putting him in position to make a charge for year-end No. 1 at the end of the season. Instead, Sinner needs to chase titles and hope that Alcaraz suffers early losses on the remainder of his schedule.
According to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, Alcaraz owns a 67-7 record this season and Sinner is 43-6. The former was year-end No. 1 in 2022 and the latter in 2024.
No other player has a chance to earn ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Nicolai Budkov Kjaer is quickly proving himself as one of the brightest young talents on the ATP Challenger Tour.
On Sunday, the 19-year-old claimed his fourth title of the season at the Open de Vendee in France, where he stormed past American Patrick Kypson 6-0, 6-3 in just 54 minutes. The Norwegian is now level with Borna Coric and Emilio Nava atop the 2025 Challenger-title leaderboard.
“I’m super grateful and super happy to get the trophy here,” said Budkov Kjaer. “It was a great week with a lot of great tennis played and it was a super nice tournament.”
Up two places to fifth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, Budkov Kjaer improved his chances of qualifying for his maiden trip to the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF. The 20-and-under event will be held 17-21 December.
PIF ATP LIVE RACE TO JEDDAH
| Player | Live Points |
| 1) Jakub Mensik | 2,140 |
| 2) Learner Tien | 1,270 |
| 3) Joao Fonseca | 1,085 |
| 4) Dino Prizmic | 487 |
| 5) Nicolai Budkov Kjaer | 436 |
| 6) Martin Landaluce | 420 |
| 7) Alexander Blockx | 390 |
| 8) Nishesh Basavareddy | 349 |
Budkov Kjaer won his maiden Challenger title in Glasgow in February and returned to the winner’s circle in July with back-to-back triumphs in Tampere and Astana, becoming the youngest Norwegian to claim multiple Challenger titles. Seeded seventh in Mouilleron le Captif, the 2024 Wimbledon boys’ singles champion dropped just one set all week to add to his breakthrough season.
Former Top 20 stars Carreno Busta, Garin win Challenger titles
Tour-veterans Pablo Carreno Busta and Cristian Garin each triumphed on home soil. Carreno Busta, former No. 10 in the PIF ATP Rankings, won the Ferrero Challenger in Villena, where he rallied past Frenchmen Hugo Grenier 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the championship match. The 34-year-old Carreno Busta is a 14-time Challenger champion.
<img alt=”Pablo Carreno Busta in action at the Ferrero Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/10/06/15/17/carreno-busta-villenach-2025.jpg” />
Pablo Carreno Busta in action at the Ferrero Challenger. Credit: Ferrero Challenger
Garin captured his third Challenger title of the season in memorable fashion, by winning at home in Antofagasta, Chile. The 29-year-old needed a deciding set in three of his matches, including a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 final victory against Facundo Diaz Acosta.
<img alt=”Cristian Garin celebrates winning the Antofagasta Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/10/06/15/22/garin-antofagastach-2025.jpg” />
Cristian Garin celebrates winning the Antofagasta Challenger. Credit: Miguel Zamora/Legión Sudamericana
2024 NCAA singles champ Zheng extends impressive run of form, captures third title since August
American Michael Zheng, the reigning NCAA singles champion, is making a splash on the Challenger circuit. The 21-year-old, who is a senior at Columbia University, claimed his third title in two months. Zheng has won 16 of his past 17 matches, with his lone loss being a qualifying defeat at the US Open. Zheng did not drop a set in Tiburon, where he beat Tyler Zink 6-4, 6-4 in the final.
The winner of this year’s Chicago and Columbus Challengers, Zheng is up to No. 178 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, setting him up for a new career high.
<img alt=”Michael Zheng wins the Tiburon Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/10/06/15/26/zheng-tiburonch-2025.jpg” />
Michael Zheng wins the Tiburon Challenger. Credit: Natalie Kim
Mikrut set for career high following second Challenger title of 2025
Luka Mikrut won his second Challenger title of the year at the Braga Open in Portugal. Mikrut, 21, stopped Lithuanian Vilius Gaubas from back-to-back title runs in the final, which the Croatian won 6-3, 6-4. Gaubas was crowned champion at the previous week’s Lisbon Challenger. Mikrut is up 59 places to No. 180 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.
<img alt=”Luka Mikrut signs autographs following his title run at the Braga Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/10/06/15/32/mikrut-bragach-2025.jpg” />
Luka Mikrut at the Braga Challenger. Credit: Eduardo Oliveira/FPT
Britain’s Cameron Norrie is left to rue missed opportunities as he is beaten by rising teenage star Learner Tien in the Shanghai Masters third round.
Arthur Rinderknech earned his second consecutive victory against Alexander Zverev on Monday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he rallied past the German 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The Frenchman beat the World No. 3 in five sets at Wimbledon earlier this year and sent the 28-year-old packing once again with a front-footed display at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai. After losing the opening set, Rinderknech won 24 of 29 points at net in sets two and three and looked fresher in the deciding set, with Zverev regularly bending over between points.
Rinderknech has earned a career-best 23 wins in 2025 and is into the fourth round at an ATP Masters 1000 event for the third time. The 30-year-old, who is 3-18 against Top 10 opponents, reached that stage in Toronto and Paris last season.
“This is huge,” Rinderknech said. “I had my first Top 5 win at a Grand Slam at Wimbledon against Sascha and it happens again. I guess I am a bit lucky against him and able to play my best tennis. I need to play my best tennis to beat a guy like Sascha, at No. 3 for many years, such a steady player and a very good player. I am very happy.”
Rinderknech is up five spots to No. 49 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and will next play Jiri Lehecka after the Czech downed Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 6-4. Lehecka has advanced to the last 16 at six of the nine Masters 1000 events.
Zverev was the highest-ranked player left in the draw after Jannik Sinner retired on Sunday due to cramp. The German leaves Shanghai fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, 1,475 points clear of 10th-placed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who is the first player outside the Top 8 cut with ninth-placed Jack Draper sidelined for the rest of the season. Zverev is a two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion.
In other action, #NextGenATP American Learner Tien continued his good form with a 7-6(4), 6-3 triumph against Cameron Norrie. The lefty has won seven of his past eight matches, reaching his maiden ATP Tour final in Beijing last week. He will next play Daniil Medvedev or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in Shanghai, where he is competing at a career-high No. 36.
Tien saved eight of 10 break points in the match, including all six in the second set. Tien was up a break at 4-3 in the second set and was down love-40 before rallying to hold. He then broke Norrie for the fourth time in the match.
“I have a lot of confidence right now,” Tien said. “I have been able to steal some matches where I have been down pretty big and that really feeds my confidence going into these matches, I can find a way through. I think that is the biggest thing.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]With a potential spot at the Nitto ATP Finals looming in the background, Alex de Minaur and Felix Auger-Aliassime are showing no sign of taking their eyes off the ball at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
The duo on Monday each maintained their respective fast starts to the Chinese ATP Masters 1000 with a commanding straight-sets third-round win. The seventh-seeded De Minaur eased past Kamil Majchrzak 6-1, 7-5 in humid conditions, while 12th seed Auger-Aliassime sank Jesper de Jong 6-4, 7-5. Neither De Minaur nor Auger-Aliassime has dropped a set across their opening two rounds in Shanghai.
Mr. Consistent 😎@alexdeminaur books his seventh ATP Masters 1000 fourth round of the season with a 6-1 7-5 win over Majchrzak.@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasters pic.twitter.com/uWgdE8yGe5
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 6, 2025
The 26-year-old De Minaur broke Majchrzak’s serve five times en route to his Tour-leading 36th win on hard courts in 2025, with two of those breaks coming after he had dropped serve himself to fall 3-4 behind in the second set. The Australian is seventh in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and remains well placed to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the second consecutive year.
“I came into this week knowing how tough the conditions were going to be,” said De Minaur after his one-hour, 27-minute victory. “So the mindset ultimately is surviving, finding ways, and getting ready for battles every time you step out on the court. There is no such thing as easy matches, especially in these conditions, so I’m glad I was able to compose myself in the second set, get the break back, and finish it off in two. If we had gone into a third, it would have been very physical.”
De Minaur will take on Nuno Borges in the fourth round. The Portuguese ended home #NextGenATP star Shang Juncheng’s run with a 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3 triumph to reach the fourth round at a Masters 1000 for the fourth time in his career, and for the second time on hard courts after Montreal 2024. Should De Minaur defeat Borges in the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash, he will hit 50 tour-level wins in a single season for the first time.
Auger-Aliassime also enjoyed a good day on return in China, where he converted three of four break points he earned against De Jong. The Canadian, who was helped to his feet by a ball kid after slipping in the second set, also won 77 per cent (30/39) of points behind his first serve, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
Now 10-2 since the start of August (with both defeats in that tally coming at the hands of Jannik Sinner), Auger-Aliassime will face eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti or 26th seed Luciano Darderi for a quarter-final spot. The 25-year-old is 10th in the Live Race, just 580 points behind eighth-placed Musetti, as he seeks a Nitto ATP Finals return following his 2022 debut.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]