Rolex Shanghai Masters 2023 Preview

After three years of suspension due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Rolex Shanghai ATP Masters 1000, the most important tournament in Asia and played on hard surface, is back.

When talking about favorites, the great candidate to win the title is the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, world number 2 and one of the best tennis players of the year.

Rolex Shanghai Masters 2023 – Tennis – Free Picks – Info

When?

October 4 – 15, 2023

Where?

Shanghai, China

Where can I watch it?

ESPN

Rolex Shanghai Masters 2023 Favorites: Alcaraz

With the absence of Novak Djokovic, the Spanish Alcaraz is the most important name in the Masters. So far he has posted a 58-7 record for the year, lifting six titles, including Wimbledon. In addition, he has won two Masters 1000s, Madrid and Indian Wells. He will play for the first time in Shanghai. 

In his last appearance, the Iberian player lost to Russian Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals of the US Open, which ended up going to Djokovic, who also won the No. 1 ranking.

Rolex Shanghai Masters 2023 Favorites: Medvedev

Precisely Medvedev, ranked third in the world, is the second most important racket in the Asian competition. The Russian is the defender of the trophy in this Masters 1000, when he defeated Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-1.

For the world number three, 2023 has left a record of 55 wins and 12 losses, lifting five titles, highlighting the Rome and Miami Masters 1000. In addition, four of his five trophies have been on hard court, which gives him a lot of points.

Moreover, it should be noted that Alcaraz and Medvedev have an even record between them, with two wins each. Each has won once on hard surface.

The Russian has shown that he is regaining his best level, especially mentally, after a complex year between 2022 and the first part of 2023. 

Rolex Shanghai Masters 2023 Favorites: Rune

The third in the list of candidates is the Danish Holger Rune, a 20-year-old tennis player who comes to follow the path that Alcaraz is carving.

Rune is number 4 in the world and in his career he has four titles, one of them this year, which was in Munich. We should point out that in 2022 he lifted his first Masters 1000 and it was in Paris, which was also on hard surface, but indoors.

Rolex Shanghai Masters 2023 Favorites: Tsitsipas

Then we have to talk about the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, who is ranked fifth in the world, but has been going through a rather irregular moment, falling in the first round recently at the China Open against the Chilean Nicolas Jarry. 

This disappointment comes on top of first-round losses in Stuttgart, second-round losses in Toronto and the US Open and round of 16 in Halle, Mallorca, Wimbledon and Cincinnati. 

Rolex Shanghai Masters 2023 Favorites: Rublev

The 25-year-old Andrey Rublev is another favorite to win on Chinese soil, with 14 titles, two of which came in 2023. The world’s sixth-ranked player won in Bastad and the Monte Carlo Masters 1000, which are on clay. He is still looking for his first hard-court title this year.

Rolex Shanghai Masters 2023 Favorites: Sinner

Finally, we have to add the Italian Jannik Sinner, who already has 44 wins so far this year, losing in 13 opportunities. He is the seventh best in the world and is another player who usually stands out in hard courts, winning in the ATP Masters 1000 of Canada and in Montpellier. 

Underdog picks

Other tennis players such as Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud, Frances Tifoe, Alex de Minaur and Alexander Zverev, who reached the final in 2019, can also be highlighted. Via wildcards they took into account the Italian Fabio Fognini and the Argentine Diego Schwartzman.

Djokovic, the best in the world at present, is the biggest absence at the Shanghai Masters 1000. The Serb is the tournament’s top winner with four titles.

Also noteworthy is the casualty of Croatian Borna Coric, who was runner-up in 2018. In addition, the Canadian Denis Shapovalov must be added.