SHANGHAI (AP) — Ben Shelton marked his 24th birthday on Friday by securing a spot in the third round of the Shanghai Masters, defeating Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 7-6 (6). This ATP 1000-level tournament follows Shelton's performance in the Davis Cup, where he lost both singles matches after opting out of the Laver Cup team event.
Read More
Top seed Alexander Zverev also progressed, overcoming Chinese wild-card entry Wu Yibing with a score of 6-4, 7-6 (4). Zverev had previously defeated Shelton in the U.S. Open final.
Novak Djokovic, who recently won his 102nd career title at the China Open, was scheduled to compete against Hubert Hurkacz in a night match. Ninth-seeded Alex de Minaur advanced following a walkover when his opponent, Alex Molcan, retired due to an undisclosed ailment. De Minaur himself had to withdraw from the China Open final against Djokovic due to an adductor injury.
Qualifier Rei Sakamoto triumphed over 23rd-seeded Andrey Rublev, winning 6-4, 6-4. Meanwhile, top-ranked Jannik Sinner withdrew from the tournament this week, citing a right knee injury that will keep him out for the remainder of the season. Djokovic has indicated plans to reach out to Sinner regarding his injury struggles.