Alex de Minaur has received a walkover into the third round of the Shanghai Masters.
The Australian star was expected to meet Slovakia’s Alex Molcan in the second round of the Shanghai Masters, before the world number 84 withdrew from the tournament due to injury.
Three days ago, De Minaur suffered an injury in the China Open final against Novak Djokovic, forcing him to retire shortly after losing the opening set. Many questioned whether De Minaur would play in Shanghai after admitting he needed scans after Beijing, but Molcan’s withdrawal has offered him a much-needed lifeline.
Alex de Minaur has more time to rest before playing his first match in Shanghai
De Minaur is expected to play his first match of the 2026 Shanghai Masters on Sunday, October 11, five days after he lost the China Open final to Djokovic. With two extra days of recovery, De Minaur may be fit enough to compete and challenge in Shanghai.
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The good news doesn’t stop there, though. Andrey Rublev, De Minaur’s projected third-round opponent, was upset by the world number 137, Rei Sakamoto, in the second round earlier on Friday.
De Minaur is 7-2 against players ranked outside the top-100 this year, only losing to Patrick Kypson (ATP #103) in Acapulco and to Matteo Arnaldi (ATP #106) in Rome. The Aussie hasn’t lost to a player ranked lower than Sakamoto since the 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships, when Marin Cilic (ATP #187) defeated him in three sets.
With an extra couple of days to recover, De Minaur will fancy his chances of defeating Sakamoto and securing his spot in the last 16, which would be one of his best Masters 1000 results of the season. Despite winning an ATP title this year, the 27-year-old has underperformed at the Masters 1000 level in 2026, only reaching one quarter-final in Monte Carlo.
Alex de Minaur’s Masters 1000 record
| Tournament | Best result | Latest result | Win/Loss record |
| Indian Wells | Fourth round – 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025 | Third round – 2026 | 10-8 (56%) |
| Miami Open | Fourth round – 2024, 2025 | Second round – 2026 | 5-7 (42%) |
| Monte Carlo Masters | Semi-final – 2025 | Quarter-final – 2026 | 10-6 (63%) |
| Madrid Open | Fourth round – 2025 | Second round – 2026 | 6-7 (46%) |
| Italian Open | Fourth round – 2024, 2025 | Second round – 2026 | 5-8 (38%) |
| Canadian Open | Final – 2023 | Third round – 2026 | 10-6 (63%) |
| Cincinnati Open | Fourth round – 2026 | Fourth round – 2026 | 7-7 (50%) |
| Shanghai Masters | Quarter-final – 2025 | Quarter-final – 2025 | 5-4 (56%) |
| Paris Masters | Quarter-final – 2023, 2024, 2025 | Quarter-final – 2025 | 14-8 (64%) |
Looking ahead, De Minaur could then face Russia’s Karen Khachanov in the fourth round. De Minaur and Khachanov are level at 2-2 in their head-to-head, but it was the Aussie who won the last time they met at the 2025 Paris Masters.
Unfortunately for De Minaur, if he reaches his second Masters 1000 quarter-final of the season in Shanghai, he is likely to struggle. He could face Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton, and Carlos Alcaraz in consecutive matches from the quarter-finals onwards.
Alex de Minaur’s most likely route to the Shanghai Masters title
- 1R – Bye
- 2R – Walkover
- 3R – Rei Sakamoto (ATP #137)
- 4R – Karen Khachanov (ATP #27)
- QF – Alexander Zverev (ATP #2)
- SF – Ben Shelton (ATP #4)
- F – Carlos Alcaraz (ATP #3)
If the Australian number one is to win his maiden Masters 1000 title in Shanghai, he will need to produce a level of tennis we have yet to see from him. Whether he can do that days after suffering an injury in Beijing remains to be seen…
How close has Alex de Minaur been to winning a Masters 1000 event?
De Minaur came closest to Masters 1000 glory three years ago at the Canadian Open. He defeated Cameron Norrie, 7-5, 6-4; Gabriel Diallo, 6-4, 7-5; and Taylor Fritz, 7-6, 4-6, 6-1, to reach the quarter-finals.
He then upset Daniil Medvedev, the second seed, in the quarter-finals, 7-6, 7-5, before defeating Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, 6-1, 6-3, in the semis.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t finish the job in the final and lost to Jannik Sinner in straight sets, 4-6, 1-6. He hasn’t returned to a Masters 1000 final since, but he did come close in Monte Carlo last year.
De Minaur led Lorenzo Musetti 6-1 in the semis, but eventually lost in three sets, 6-1, 4-6, 6-7. Only time will tell if he will fare better in Shanghai. De Minaur will face Sakamoto in the third round on Sunday, October 11.
