Twelve Players Withdraw From Rolex Shanghai Masters

The penultimate ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the season began on Wednesday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters. Seeded players, such as Novak Djokovic, who surprised many by confirming his participation in Shanghai, will begin their matches on Friday. There were several notable withdrawals, including from the best current player in the world.

Two Top Ten players withdraw from the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

Carlos Alcaraz continued his outstanding 2025 season by winning the 2025 Japan Open in Tokyo. He overcame Taylor Fritz in the final to seal an eighth title this season. That also pushed him nearer to finishing as the year-end No. 1 after overtaking Jannik Sinner when he beat him in the US Open final.

However, Alcaraz managed an ankle injury at the Japan Open. Had he played, the 22-year-old would not have had much recovery time for the Rolex Shanghai Masters. After discussions with team members, Alcaraz announced his decision to withdraw from the Masters 1000 tournament. The six-time Grand Slam champion apologized to the Chinese fans and said he looked forward to returning next year. Although an understandable decision, losing arguably the most popular tennis player worldwide is a significant blow.

Tournament organizers have been aware of the other Top Ten player who withdrew for a while. On September 8th, Jack Draper ended his season early because of an arm injury. That issue forced him to withdraw from the US Open before the second round, and this year’s champion in Indian Wells will rest and recover until 2026 begins. He was among those announced for the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, scheduled for after the Shanghai Masters, until that injury issue. Stefanos Tsitsipas replaced the Briton.

Which other players withdrew from the Rolex Shanghai Masters?

Grigor Dimitrov’s absence from the ATP Tour continues for now because of his decision to withdraw from the Rolex Shanghai Masters. The Bulgarian has not played a match since heartbreakingly retiring during his Wimbldon quarterfinal when leading Sinner 6-3 7-5 2-2 after tearing a chest muscle. More positively, Dimitrov is scheduled to return at the Stockholm Open, starting October 13th.

Joao Fonseca was the most surprising withdrawal from the Rolex Shanghai Masters. The teenage star does not have a physical issue, but he and his team decided to skip the 1000-level event and focus on preparing for the indoor hard-court swing. Although an unexpected move, it is crucial for young players to manage their schedules properly to avoid injuries in later years.

Gael Monfils may have played his last professional match in Asia. The popular Frenchman retired from his Chengdu Open match against Alexander Shevchenko on September 18th with an ankle injury. On October 1st, Monfils announced that his superb career would end at the end of 2026. At this point, it is impossible to predict whether he will compete during next year’s Asian swing.

Tommy Paul was the American player to withdraw from the Rolex Shanghai Masters. He has endured a frustrating season with injuries, most notably a severe foot problem. In a recent podcast appearance, Paul’s coach, Brad Stine, revealed he lost the orthotics in his shoes in Madrid, and his foot issue began the following day. Paul has not consistently played well in the months since that moment.

The other tournament withdrawals were Hubert Hurkacz, Arthur Fils, Roberto Bautista Agut, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Alexei Popyrin, and Jacob Fearnley.

Who replaced those players in the main draw?

Carlos Alcaraz’s place at the Rolex Shanghai Masters allowed Mackenzie McDonald an opportunity. The American lost to Rei Sakamoto in the final round of qualifying. However, the Spaniard’s late decision to withdraw from the event has given him another opportunity as a lucky loser. He will face Quentin Haly on Thursday for a place in the round of 64.

Adrian Mannarino took full advantage of replacing Jack Draper at the Chinese tournament. The veteran produced an outstanding serving performance to defeat Matteo Berrettini 7-5 7-6. He faced no break points throughout the contest and looked the more likely winner throughout despite only breaking once. That victory sets up a Friday meeting with Francisco Cerundolo.

David Goffin, another ATP Tour veteran, replaced Dimitrov. The Belgian’s most notable moment of 2025 was stunning Alcaraz in Miami after an exceptional performance. Since then, the Spaniard has reached nine consecutive finals, putting Goffin’s amazing effort into perspective. He also started his Rolex Shanghai Masters campaign with a victory with Alexandre Muller, and will play Ben Shelton on Friday.

Luca Nardi, Joao Fonseca’s replacement, defeated Sebastian Ofner in the opening round. It was a tight battle, but the Italian, who has not been comfortable on hard courts throughout much of his career, dug in to secure a 3-6 6-3 6-2 win. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, the biggest server in tennis, will provide a much different test in the round of 64 on Friday.

Jesper de Jong, Juan Manuel Cerundolo, Adam Walton, Mariano Navone, Ethan Quinn, Christopher O’Connell, Arthur Cazaux, and Arthur Rinderknech were the other players to enter the draw.