Ben Shelton marked his 24th birthday with a victory in Shanghai, while the tournament faces a shifting landscape following Jannik Sinner’s sudden withdrawal.
Ben Shelton didn’t spend his 24th birthday waiting for the cake. Instead, the U.S. Open runner-up spent his Friday carving out a spot in the third round of the Shanghai Masters, dispatching Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 7-6 (6) at the ATP 1000-level tournament.
For Shelton, the victory marks a return to form. His recent stretch has been defined by a grueling transition from the high stakes of Flushing Meadows to the Davis Cup, where he dropped both of his singles matches after choosing to withdraw from the Laver Cup team event.
While Shelton advances, the tournament floor is shifting. Top-seeded Alexander Zverev—the man who bested Shelton in four sets at the U.S. Open—awaits his own moment on the main Stadium Court against Chinese wild-card entry Wu Yibing. Meanwhile. Novak Djokovic. fresh off securing his 102nd career title at the China Open this past Tuesday. is slated for a night match against Hubert Hurkacz.
The tournament has been marked by attrition. Ninth-seeded Alex de Minaur moved into the third round without hitting a ball after his opponent. Alex Molcan. retired due to an undisclosed ailment. The path forward for de Minaur remains a recovery project of its own. given he was forced to retire from the China Open final against Djokovic due to an adductor injury.
Elsewhere, the draw saw a significant upset as qualifier Rei Sakamoto dismantled 23rd-seeded Andrey Rublev in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.
The reality of the tour’s physical toll hit a breaking point this week when top-ranked Jannik Sinner announced his withdrawal from Shanghai. declaring he will sit out the remainder of 2026 to address a right knee injury. The sequence is stark: as Sinner exits. the rest of the field is left to grapple with the reality of an exhausting calendar. Djokovic noted on Thursday he intends to reach out to Sinner. acknowledging the weight of a season that has left the world number one sidelined by his own body.
Ben Shelton Shanghai Masters ATP Tennis Novak Djokovic Alexander Zverev Jannik Sinner