Overview

• World No. 2 Jannik Sinner beat Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-3 to begin his title defense and will face Tallon Griekspoor next.
• Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from Shanghai with a left ankle issue and rest concerns, removing a top rival from Sinner’s section of the draw.
• Alexander Zverev said tournament directors are making surfaces slower to benefit Sinner and Alcaraz, echoing concerns Roger Federer voiced last month.
• Reported court pace index readings show Shanghai down from roughly 40–42 in past years to about 32.8–32.9 in 2025, placing it among the slowest hard-court Masters events.
• Sinner rejected any suggestion of influence over court conditions and emphasized adaptation, while Taylor Fritz described the courts as “incredibly slow” with heavy balls and humid conditions.