Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will have little time to rest on their laurels, with the Shanghai Masters fast approaching.
Djokovic has just beaten Alexander Zverev to reach the China Open semi-finals, extending his unbeaten record at the ATP 500 tournament to 32 matches.
It is not just Djokovic who is currently in the latter stages of a tournament, as Alcaraz has also just reached the Japan Open semi-finals.
Despite both Djokovic and Alcaraz still being in other tournaments, their draws for the next event on their schedule, the Shanghai Masters, have now been confirmed.
Who will end 2026 on top of the ATP rankings? 🥇
Make your case in the comments!
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz’s draws for the Shanghai Masters confirmed
Djokovic is a record four-time champion at the Shanghai Masters, with his last title at the ATP 1000 tournament coming back in 2018.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion will have to produce a very impressive run if he is to reclaim the title in Shanghai again, with Djokovic being handed a very tricky draw at this year’s event.
As the 10th seed, Djokovic receives an automatic bye to the second round, where he could face former champion Hubert Hurkacz. Things are unlikely to get any easier for Djokovic, with former world number five Lorenzo Musetti potentially awaiting him in the third round.
Some of the other potential opponents for Djokovic in his half of the draw include Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, while Alcaraz is the player he is forecast to face in the final.
It is slightly less of a daunting draw for Alcaraz, who will be seeking his first ever title at the Shanghai Masters this year. Alcaraz has made two previous appearances at the Shanghai Masters, but he has never been past the quarter-finals.
Alcaraz could begin his campaign at this year’s tournament against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, who famously beat Jannik Sinner at Roland Garros earlier this year. The first seeded opponent Alcaraz could then face is Peruvian Ignacio Buse.
Some of the threats to Alcaraz in his half of the draw include Felix Auger-Aliassime, Daniil Medvedev and Tommy Paul, but he could also face defending champion Valentin Vacherot in the fourth round. Alcaraz is the second seed and therefore is forecast to face Zverev in the Shanghai Masters final.
Why Novak Djokovic might not play the Shanghai Masters this year
While Djokovic is in the draw for this year’s Shanghai Masters, he has recently cast doubt over his participation in the tournament.
After his second round win at the China Open this year, Djokovic was asked if he would be competing in Shanghai, to which he admitted he was unsure, despite stating his goal of qualifying for the ATP Finals, which he is currently not forecast to do.
“I don’t have that super clear right now,” Djokovic said last week. “At the moment I’m also not really qualified yet for the race, for the Turin. I mean, this year I would like to play if I qualify. I’m planning also to play Paris Bercy. Shanghai, I still don’t know. I need to see how I feel here and then I decide.”
Djokovic has played a more limited schedule in recent years, but has appeared at the Shanghai Masters in both 2024 and 2025.
The Serbian still has a few days to make a decision on his participation, with the main draw in Shanghai not getting underway until October 7, but first Djokovic will focus on his semi-final match in Beijing against Medvedev.
