Granollers/Zeballos make confident start to Shanghai title defence

Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos wasted little time getting back to winning ways in their opening match at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

Having lifted the title at the Chinese ATP Masters 1000 last year, the Spaniard and Argentine began their 2024 campaign with a 6-4, 6-4 triumph against Miguel Reyes-Varela and John-Patrick Smith on Tuesday afternoon. Granollers and Zeballos won 85 per cent (35/41) of first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, en route to a 77-minute win. They will next take on Jamie Murray and John Peers, who beat Ugo Humbert and Adrian Mannarino 6-2, 6-0.

The second and third-seeded pairs in Shanghai could not join Granollers and Zeballos in the second round. Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen upset second seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic 2-6, 6-3, 10-5. It was the Belgian duo’s first win in three Lexus ATP Head2Head clashes this year against Arevalo and Pavic, who lead the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings.

Toyko champions Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool continued their good form on the hard courts of Asia by downing third seeds Matthew Ebden and Lloyd Glasspool 7-6(6), 7-6(3). Their next assignment in Shanghai is a rematch against their Tokyo championship-match opponents, Ariel Behar and Robert Galloway.