ATP Tour

Zverev survives tumble, Cobolli falls in Shanghai

Alexander Zverev survived a late fall and brief scare on Friday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he battled past Chinese wild card Wu Yibing 6-4, 7-6(4) to reach the third round at the hard-court event.

Zverev was leading 6-4, 5-5 and had break point on the Wu serve when he stumbled out wide after striking a backhand. The German seemingly tweaked his left ankle, but after a brief pause, rose to his feet and moved with relative freedom in the closing stages of the second set to seal victory after one hour and 36 minutes.

"He hits every ball as hard as he can, so the match doesn't depend on you too much apart from your serve," Zverev said following his 30th hard-court win of the year. "I thought I was serving ok, but everything else is in his hands and he was playing well in the second set, so I am pleased to have got through in straight sets."

Zverev, who did not receive a medical timeout after the incident, can clinch ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours this fortnight in Shanghai. If the two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion reaches the semi-finals, he will clinch year-end No. 1 honours. But in another scenario, if Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton lose at any point of the tournament, Zverev would also clinch year-end No. 1. Regardless of what happens in Shanghai, Zverev will not rise above Jannik Sinner to No. 1 when the rankings re-run on the Monday following the event.

Zverev has won two majors in a standout 2026 season but is chasing his first ATP Masters 1000 title since 2024, when he triumphed in Paris. The 29-year-old outlasted Wu in the majority of the baseline exchanges to improve to 2-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series and will next face Alexander Blockx or Quentin Halys.

Shelton celebrated his 24th birthday in style in Shanghai, where he downed Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 7-6(6) to record his 40th tour-level win of the season.

The American lefty is competing in his first singles event since he reached the US Open final last month and has fond memories in Shanghai, having advanced to his maiden ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final at the event in 2023. This fortnight, Shelton is chasing his fifth title of the year and second at Masters 1000 level, after triumphing in Montreal.

Shelton is fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and will seal his spot at the Nitto ATP Finals if he defeats Frenchman Arthur Gea in the fourth round in Shanghai. Gea beat 30th seed Ugo Humbert 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.

In other early action, Adrian Mannarino upset World No. 7 Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 4-6, 6-3. Cobolli, who also suffered an opening-round defeat last week in Beijing, struggled to find his rhythm throughout the clash, committing 42 unforced errors in his defeat. The Italian is fifth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin but is likely to drop with those around him all still alive in Shanghai.