Overview

• Organizers granted Sinner a scheduling exemption, pushing his second‑round opener to Saturday against Daniel Altmaier, with their head‑to‑head tied 1-1 after a five‑hour Roland Garros battle in 2023.
• Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from Shanghai citing physical issues, and published points analyses suggest Sinner could briefly return to No. 1 on October 27 if he defends the Shanghai title and wins Vienna.
• In his pre‑tournament remarks, Sinner said he is trying small tactical tweaks such as more net play rather than radical changes.
• He said he feels fully recovered from a gastrointestinal problem in Beijing, noting Shanghai’s hotter, more humid conditions and limited time to adjust.
• As the defending champion and highest‑ranked player in the draw, Sinner received the event’s terracotta warrior tribute, and Novak Djokovic returns to Shanghai in his half of the bracket.