The draw for the 2026 Rolex Shanghai Masters is out, with Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz taking the top two seedings in a field that leaves plenty of room for an interesting fortnight following Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal.
Zverev has a manageable opening section, while Ben Shelton shares his quarter with Novak Djokovic, Frances Tiafoe and the returning Holger Rune.
In the bottom half, Félix Auger-Aliassime heads a competitive quarter featuring Arthur Fils, Rafael Jódar and Learner Tien, while Alcaraz could meet Tommy Paul before a potential quarter-final against Daniil Medvedev or Taylor Fritz.
Several opening-round matches are also worth watching, including Cameron Norrie against Denis Shapovalov and Arthur Fery against Marin Čilić.
Below, you’ll find the full draw, tournament information and my thoughts on each quarter.
Tournament Info
- Event Name: Rolex Shanghai Masters
- Founded: 2009
- Location: Shanghai, China
- Venue: Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, Shanghai, Minhang District, China, 201111
- Surface: Outdoor Hard Court
- Ball: Wilson All Court
- Current Men’s Champion: Valentin Vacherot
- Current Men’s Doubles Champions: Kevin Krawietz / Tim Pütz
- Category: ATP Masters 1000
- Draw Size: 96 Singles / 48 Qualifying / 32 Doubles
- Dates: 7– 18 October 2026
- Prize Money: $9,415,725. Full Shanghai Masters Prize Money breakdown.
Shanghai Rolex Masters Seeds 2026
Seeds
- Alexander Zverev
- Carlos Alcaraz
- Ben Shelton
- Félix Auger-Aliassime
- Daniil Medvedev
- Flavio Cobolli
- Frances Tiafoe
- Arthur Fils
- Alex de Minaur
- Novak Djokovic
- Taylor Fritz
- Rafael Jódar
- Jakub Menšík
- Learner Tien
- Tommy Paul
- Brandon Nakashima
- Valentin Vacherot
- Luciano Darderi
- Alexander Bublik
- Casper Ruud
- Francisco Cerúndolo
- Jiří Lehečka
- Andrey Rublev
- Lorenzo Musetti
- Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
- Karen Khachanov
- Alexander Blockx
- Tomás Martín Etcheverry
- Alejandro Tabilo
- Ugo Humbert
- Alex Michelsen
- Ignacio Buse
Wild Cards
- Bu Yunchaokete
- Sho Shimabukuro
- Wu Yibing
- Zhang Zhizhen
- Zhou Yi
Protected Ranking
- Holger Rune
Withdrawals
- Román Andrés Burruchaga → replaced by Facundo Díaz Acosta
- Raphaël Collignon → replaced by Marcos Giron
- João Fonseca → replaced by Zachary Svajda
- Sebastian Korda → replaced by Hamad Medjedovic
- Corentin Moutet → replaced by Marco Trungelliti
- Ethan Quinn → replaced by Marin Čilić
- Arthur Rinderknech → replaced by Aleksandar Kovacevic
- Jannik Sinner → replaced by Rinky Hijikata
Qualifiers
2026 Shanghai Masters Draw
Top Half
- Alexander Zverev (1) v Bye
- Wu Yibing (WC) v Qualifier
- Quentin Halys v Qualifier
- Bye v Alexander Blockx (27)
- Alexander Bublik (19) v Bye
- Zhang Zhizhen (WC) v Tomáš Macháč
- Aleksandar Kovacevic v Matteo Berrettini
- Bye v Brandon Nakashima (16)
- Alex de Minaur (9) v Bye
- Alex Molčan v Qualifier
- Marco Trungelliti v Qualifier
- Bye v Andrey Rublev (23)
- Karen Khachanov (26) v Bye
- Arthur Fery v Marin Čilić
- Adrian Mannarino v Qualifier
- Bye v Flavio Cobolli (6)
- Ben Shelton (3) v Bye
- Holger Rune (PR) v Daniel Altmaier
- Arthur Gea v Jaime Faria
- Bye v Ugo Humbert (30)
- Francisco Cerúndolo (21) v Bye
- Rinky Hijikata v Qualifier
- Sho Shimabukuro (WC) v Miomir Kecmanović
- Bye v Jakub Menšík (13)
- Novak Djokovic (10) v Bye
- Hubert Hurkacz v James Duckworth
- Qualifier v Zhou Yi (WC)
- Bye v Lorenzo Musetti (24)
- Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (25) v Bye
- Jaume Munar v Jenson Brooksby
- Yannick Hanfmann v Kamil Majchrzak
- Bye v Frances Tiafoe (7)
Bottom Half
- Arthur Fils (8) v Bye
- Qualifier v Tallon Griekspoor
- Botic van de Zandschulp v Daniel Mérida
- Bye v Alex Michelsen (31)
- Jiří Lehečka (22) v Bye
- Nuno Borges v Facundo Díaz Acosta
- Thiago Agustín Tirante v Hamad Medjedović
- Bye v Rafael Jódar (12)
- Learner Tien (14) v Bye
- Fábián Marozsán v Zachary Svajda
- Luca Van Assche v Bu Yunchaokete (WC)
- Bye v Casper Ruud (20)
- Alejandro Tabilo (29) v Bye
- Mariano Navone v Pablo Carreño Busta
- Camilo Ugo Carabelli v Qualifier
- Bye v Félix Auger-Aliassime (4)
- Daniil Medvedev (5) v Bye
- Martín Landaluce v Jan-Lennard Struff
- Cameron Norrie v Denis Shapovalov
- Bye v Tomás Martín Etcheverry (28)
- Luciano Darderi (18) v Bye
- Qualifier v Stefanos Tsitsipas
- Qualifier v Matteo Arnaldi
- Bye v Taylor Fritz (11)
- Tommy Paul (15) v Bye
- Adolfo Daniel Vallejo v Valentin Royer
- Marcos Giron v Sebastián Báez
- Bye v Valentin Vacherot (17)
- Ignacio Buse (32) v Bye
- Vít Kopřiva v Zizou Bergs
- Juan Manuel Cerúndolo v Qualifier
- Bye v Carlos Alcaraz (2)
Thoughts on the Draw
First Quarter: Zverev Gets a Reasonable Starting Point
Seeded Players: Alexander Zverev (1), Flavio Cobolli (6), Alex de Minaur (9), Brandon Nakashima (16), Alexander Bublik (19), Andrey Rublev (23), Karen Khachanov (26), Alexander Blockx (27)
Selected first-round matches:
- Zhang Zhizhen (WC) vs Tomáš Macháč
- Aleksandar Kovacevic vs Matteo Berrettini
- Arthur Fery vs Marin Čilić
- Wu Yibing (WC) vs Qualifier
On paper, Zverev should be reasonably happy with his draw.
He begins against either Wu Yibing or a qualifier, with Alexander Blockx the first seed he could face in round three. That is a manageable starting point for the top seed as he looks to bounce back from his loss to Djokovic in Beijing.
Wu would have the home crowd behind him if he gets through his opener but the fourth round is where Zverev’s section becomes more interesting.
Brandon Nakashima is his projected opponent, but Alexander Bublik sits in the same pocket, alongside Matteo Berrettini, Aleksandar Kovacevic, Zhang Zhizhen and Tomáš Macháč.
That segment has plenty of decent players, and Nakashima’s opening match against either Kovacevic or Berrettini is hardly a free pass.
Bublik opens against Zhang or Macháč, which is another potentially awkward second-round match.
The other side of the quarter is headed by Flavio Cobolli and Alex de Minaur.
De Minaur starts against Alex Molčan or a qualifier, with Andrey Rublev projected for round three. Cobolli gets Adrian Mannarino or a qualifier before potentially meeting Karen Khachanov.
Khachanov has been in good form of late, and he opens against Arthur Fery or Marin Čilić so he’s probably one to watch.
I’d still make Zverev the favourite to reach the semi-finals from this quarter. His first two matches look reasonable, and he’s had a few days’ rest after Beijing, whereas De Minaur still has the final to play.
Second Quarter: Shelton, Djokovic and Tiafoe Share the Same Section
Seeded Players: Ben Shelton (3), Frances Tiafoe (7), Novak Djokovic (10), Jakub Menšík (13), Francisco Cerúndolo (21), Lorenzo Musetti (24), Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (25), Ugo Humbert (30)
Selected first-round matches:
- Holger Rune (PR) vs Daniel Altmaier
- Hubert Hurkacz vs James Duckworth
- Jaume Munar vs Jenson Brooksby
- Sho Shimabukuro (WC) vs Miomir Kecmanović
Shelton is the highest seed, and his opening match could be against Holger Rune, who enters using a protected ranking.
Rune first has to beat Daniel Altmaier, and that won’t be easy. Rune won on his return to the Davis Cup, but his movement looked way off when he played in Tokyo.
Ugo Humbert is Shelton’s projected third-round opponent, followed by Jakub Menšík in the fourth round, so far from straightforward.
Menšík begins against Sho Shimabukuro or Miomir Kecmanović, while Francisco Cerúndolo could await him in round three.
The lower section centres around Djokovic and Tiafoe, although Djokovic’s draw immediately catches the eye; prior to his win over Zverev, he’d have been on upset watch whoever he played, but he appears to be back in form.
He opens against Hubert Hurkacz or James Duckworth. A meeting with Hurkacz is a standout second-round match, as Djokovic will have to find his return game immediately but the Pole did retire mid match today in Beijing so it’s not a given he will play.
Lorenzo Musetti is then his projected third-round opponent, before a possible fourth-round meeting with Tiafoe.
Tiafoe starts against Yannick Hanfmann or Kamil Majchrzak, with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina the seed in his third-round path.
Davidovich Fokina first faces Jaume Munar or Jenson Brooksby, so this section is packed full of players who can take advantage when some of the top guys are looking a bit leggy after the first two-thirds of the season.
Shelton against Djokovic is the quarter-final suggested by the seedings, but I don’t think it’s a given.
Third Quarter: An Opportunity for Auger-Aliassime, but Plenty of Competition
Seeded Players: Félix Auger-Aliassime (4), Arthur Fils (8), Rafael Jódar (12), Learner Tien (14), Casper Ruud (20), Jiří Lehečka (22), Alejandro Tabilo (29), Alex Michelsen (31)
Selected first-round matches:
- Thiago Agustín Tirante vs Hamad Medjedović
- Fábián Marozsán vs Zachary Svajda
- Mariano Navone vs Pablo Carreño Busta
- Botic van de Zandschulp vs Daniel Mérida
Auger-Aliassime is the highest seed in this quarter and has a reasonable opening section.
He starts against Camilo Ugo Carabelli or a qualifier, with Alejandro Tabilo projected for round three.
Tabilo has to get through Mariano Navone or Pablo Carreño Busta first, so fairly wide open, and FAA hasn’t beaten Navone in their two previous matches, albeit both being on clay.
The fourth round looks more demanding, with Learner Tien and Casper Ruud drawn into the neighbouring section.
Tien begins against Fábián Marozsán or Zachary Svajda, while Ruud faces Luca Van Assche or home wild card Bu Yunchaokete.
A third-round meeting between Tien and Ruud would be one of the more interesting seeded matches in this quarter, as Tien is on the rise, while Ruud hasn’t played that well of late.
The other side features Arthur Fils and Rafael Jódar.
Fils could open against Tallon Griekspoor, provided the Dutchman beats a qualifier. That is an opponent capable of making an opening match uncomfortable, particularly if he gets his serve working.
Alex Michelsen is Fils’s projected third-round opponent, although Botic van de Zandschulp is also in this section.
Jódar starts against Thiago Agustín Tirante or Hamad Medjedović, before potentially meeting Jiří Lehečka in round three. Lehečka opens against Nuno Borges or Facundo Díaz Acosta.
I have little faith in Aliassime, as he hasn’t delivered his best tennis since Wimbledon, when he lost to Djokovic in five sets.
Fourth Quarter: Alcaraz Has the Clearest Opening Route
Seeded Players: Carlos Alcaraz (2), Daniil Medvedev (5), Taylor Fritz (11), Tommy Paul (15), Valentin Vacherot (17), Luciano Darderi (18), Tomás Martín Etcheverry (28), Ignacio Buse (32)
Selected first-round matches:
- Cameron Norrie vs Denis Shapovalov
- Martín Landaluce vs Jan-Lennard Struff
- Vít Kopřiva vs Zizou Bergs
- Marcos Giron vs Sebastián Báez
Alcaraz leads this section, starting against Juan Manuel Cerúndolo or a qualifier, with Ignacio Buse as the seed he could meet in round three.
Buse first faces Vít Kopřiva or Zizou Bergs, so that those all have a coin-toss-like feeling.
Tommy Paul is the more substantial obstacle in his fourth-round path on paper, but he won just 3 games in his first-round loss in Tokyo.
Paul starts against Adolfo Daniel Vallejo or Valentin Royer, then could meet Valentin Vacherot in round three. Vacherot opens against Marcos Giron or Sebastián Báez as he looks to defend his title.
Medvedev and Fritz lead the other side of the quarter.
Medvedev opens against Martín Landaluce or Jan-Lennard Struff. Struff could make that a lively second-round contest if he advances.
Tomás Martín Etcheverry is Medvedev’s projected third-round opponent, although Cameron Norrie or Denis Shapovalov will face the Argentine first.
Norrie against Shapovalov is probably the pick of the opening round if Denis has recovered from the injury he sustained in Tokyo.
Fritz begins against Matteo Arnaldi or a qualifier, with Luciano Darderi projected for round three.
Stefanos Tsitsipas is also in Darderi’s section. He starts against a qualifier and would face the Italian next, so a Fritz–Tsitsipas third-round match is also possible.
Medvedev against Fritz is the projected fourth-round meeting, but I’d make Alcaraz the favourite to come through this quarter. Some credible obstacles remain, but the draw gives the second seed a reasonable chance to settle into the tournament before the bigger tests arrive.
First-Round Matches to Watch
Cameron Norrie vs Denis Shapovalov — The standout opening-round match for me. Norrie’s consistency against Shapovalov’s attacking tennis, with Etcheverry waiting for the winner.
Holger Rune (PR) vs Daniel Altmaier — An immediate chance to assess Rune, with a second-round meeting against Shelton on the line.
Arthur Fery vs Marin Čilić — An interesting test for Fery against an experienced opponent. The winner faces Khachanov.
Aleksandar Kovacevic vs Matteo Berrettini — A match with plenty of serving and first-strike potential, with Nakashima awaiting the winner.
Zhang Zhizhen (WC) vs Tomáš Macháč — A home wild card against a dangerous opponent, with Bublik awaiting.
Who do you think wins Shanghai? Can Vacherot defend his title? Let me know in the comments.
