Oct 9·Sports
Follow-up 4h ago Major2
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Shelton Beats Altmaier on 24th Birthday; Zverev, Djokovic Advance in Shanghai
Ben Shelton defeated Daniel Altmaier on his 24th birthday to reach the third round of the Shanghai Masters, while top seed Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic also advanced at the ATP 1000 event.
Quick Facts
- Ben Shelton advanced to third round
- Alexander Zverev defeated Wu Yibing
- Novak Djokovic scheduled to play Hubert Hurkacz
- Alex de Minaur advanced on walkover
- Rei Sakamoto defeated Andrey Rublev
Ben Shelton, the runner-up at the US Open, advanced to the third round of the Shanghai Masters on Friday with a 6-3, 7-6 (6) victory over Daniel Altmaier, celebrating his 24th birthday with the straight-sets win at the ATP 1000 tournament. Shelton had competed in the Davis Cup for the United States following the US Open, losing both his singles matches before withdrawing from the Laver Cup team event.
Top seed Alexander Zverev, who defeated Shelton in the US Open final in four sets at Flushing Meadows, advanced by defeating Chinese wild-card Wu Yibing 6-4, 7-6 (4). Novak Djokovic, who won the China Open on Tuesday for his 102nd career title, was scheduled to play a night match against Hubert Hurkacz.
In other results, ninth-seeded Alex de Minaur advanced on a walkover when his opponent Alex Molcan withdrew with an undisclosed ailment. De Minaur had retired from the China Open final against Djokovic due to an adductor injury. Qualifier Rei Sakamoto upset 23rd-seeded Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-4.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew from Shanghai after announcing he would take the remainder of 2026 off due to a right knee injury. Djokovic said Thursday he planned to reach out to Sinner regarding his injury-affected season.
Topics
Why This Matters
The Shanghai Masters is an ATP 1000 event attracting top-ranked players; player rankings and points affect seeding in the upcoming Australian Open and year-end standings. Sinner's withdrawal and injury announcement impacts the world No. 1 ranking and forecasts for major tournaments through 2026. De Minaur's adductor injury status and Molcan's undisclosed ailment signal potential absences from upcoming events.
Timeline & Sources
Oct 9, 2026
WireNovak Djokovic wins China Open for 102nd career title
Oct 10, 2026
WireBen Shelton defeats Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 7-6 (6) on his 24th birthday in Shanghai Masters second round
Oct 10, 2026
WireRei Sakamoto defeats Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-4 in Shanghai Masters
Oct 10, 2026
WireJannik Sinner announces withdrawal from Shanghai and rest of 2026 due to right knee injury
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