The new tournament director for the Australian Open faced scrutiny for mistakenly referring to Jannik Sinner as ‘Jacob Sinner.’ Andrew Abdo, who is also the chief executive of Tennis Australia, later clarified his knowledge of Sinner's correct name.
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Carlos Alcaraz expressed feeling "mentally fresh" ahead of the Shanghai Masters, marking his return after an injury layoff. The 23-year-old indicated he is not only feeling physically fit but is also recharged mentally.
Novak Djokovic experienced a quick exit from the Shanghai Masters, losing in straight sets to Hubert Hurkacz shortly after winning the China Open. In the match, Djokovic faltered with a double fault in the second set, allowing Hurkacz to take a significant lead.
Top seed Alexander Zverev advanced in the Shanghai Masters with a victory over Chinese wildcard Wu Yibing, winning 6-4, 7-6 (7/4). Third-seeded Ben Shelton also progressed by defeating Germany's Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 7-6 (8/6).
In the China Open, Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva triumphed over Ekaterina Alexandrova to set up a semi-final against Nikola Bartunkova, who surprised Karolina Muchova in her own quarter-final.
Home favorite Zheng Qinwen reached the semi-finals by overcoming Elina Svitolina. She will face Belgium's Elise Mertens, who eliminated 2023 title winner Iga Swiatek earlier in the tournament.
In other news, the Court of Arbitration for Sport held hearings regarding Senegal's appeal against the decision that awarded Morocco the title for the Africa Cup of Nations. This decision stemmed from a controversial match where Senegal protested and briefly left the pitch.
Lastly, A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces was recognized as the WNBA Most Valuable Player for a record fifth time and third consecutive year, highlighting her remarkable impact on the league since being drafted in 2018.