Overview

• Alexander Zverev defeated qualifier Valentin Royer 6:4, 6:4 in Shanghai and needed on‑court treatment after sharp pain in his right big toe during his final service game.
• After the match he said a physiotherapist indicated no bone damage and he suspects a capsular injury, with further medical evaluation set for Sunday.
• He next faces Arthur Rinderknech in the third round, having lost to the Frenchman in Wimbledon’s first round earlier this season.
• Zverev said he has not played pain‑free since the Australian Open and continues to manage recurring back issues with injections and limited training since the US Open.
• He criticized a packed calendar and what he calls increasingly uniform, slower courts that benefit Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz; Roger Federer voiced similar concerns, Jannik Sinner disputed the claim, and commentators note Zverev still played the Laver Cup and is entered for the Six Kings Slam.