After playing host to three ATP tournaments last month, it’s time for China to host the big one: the Shanghai Open. This tournament is the penultimate ATP Masters 1000 event of the season and will have a whopping $8 million in total prize money up for grabs.
However, World No. 1 Rafael Nadal will not be on hand to challenge for the title. Instead, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will headline a draw that also includes rising stars Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas as well as Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev.
Djokovic will be fresh off another tournament win as he goes in search of more success in Shanghai. Meanwhile, Federer might not be all too pleased after he was dealt a less than favourable draw.
But before the tournament truly gets up and running, here are all the news items SBOBET tennis fans need to know.
Rafael Nadal withdraws with wrist injury
Rafael Nadal made big Shanghai Masters 2019 news when he withdrew from the tournament due to a wrist injury. It was the same injury which saw him unable to play in last month’s Laver Cup.
The Spaniard is a two-time finalist in Shanghai (2009 and 2017) but has yet to claim a title. If not for his injury, though, this might have been the year he finally went all the way.
Nadal has been in sensational form of late, winning his last 11 matches. He’s won 28 of his last 29 matches overall, with his only loss coming in the semi-finals of Wimbledon against Roger Federer.
Nadal is coming off his fourth US Open title after defeating Daniil Medvedev in the final. He’s also claimed the French Open as well as the Montreal and Rome Masters in what has been another highly successful season.
With Nadal’s withdrawal, Djokovic will have the chance to close the gap on the Spaniard in the race to finish as World No. 1 by the end of the year.
Nadal will be hoping his wrist can recover in time to compete in the Paris Masters, the last ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the season.
Novak Djokovic claims another title
Novak Djokovic will be gunning for a fifth career Shanghai Open title, and he will do so with a lot of confidence after claiming the Japan Open by defeating John Millman in straight sets.
It was Djokovic’s first tournament since suffering a shoulder issue which forced him to withdraw from the US Open, and he showed no ill-effects of that injury. The Serb was outstanding throughout as he didn’t drop a single set en route to the title.
Djokovic has now grabbed four titles this season after he also won the Australian Open, the Madrid Masters, and Wimbledon.
Djokovic will face the winner of Frances Tiafoe and Denis Shapovalov in the second round. And if he goes on to the quarter-finals as expected, young gun Stefanos Tsitsipas — whom he beat in the final of the Madrid Masters — and veteran Gael Monfils will be his biggest potential challengers.
More importantly, Nadal’s absence will give Djokovic the opportunity to move closer in the rankings. He’s now just 1,460 behind the Spaniard after his win in Japan and could score another 1,000 points if he can win in Shanghai.
Roger Federer gets dealt tough draw
Roger Federer is a two-time winner of the Shanghai Masters and is the clear second-favourite behind Djokovic according to the Shanghai Masters 2019 betting tips after Nadal’s withdrawal.
But he will have to work hard if he is to win a third this year. That’s because the Swiss legend has been handed quite a challenging draw.
After his first-round bye, Federer could face either Marin Cilic of Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the second round.
Granted, Federer has a strong head-to-head record against Cilic, winning nine of their 10 career meetings. However, the Croatian remains a dangerous foe for anybody. After all, he is a former World No. 3, not to mention the 2014 US Open champion.
Meanwhile, Ramos-Vinolas won one of his two meetings against Federer, which came four years ago in Shanghai.
Federer’s quarter of the draw also includes other dangerous foes such as Alexander Zverev, David Goffin, and Borna Coric, who was the losing finalist in this tournament last year.
Federer should still fancy himself against any of those potential opponents. However, his margin for error figures to be smaller compared to Djokovic on the other side of the draw.
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