2024 Shanghai Masters: Men’s favorites

The penultimate ATP Masters tournament, the Shanghai Masters, is set to get underway with some of the biggest male tennis players from around the world eager to make their mark. For many, this competition is crucial for earning points in the race to the ATP Finals later this year. Novak Djokovic is expected to bounce back after failing to replicate the form he showed last season. Players like Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Daniil Medvedev are all in contention for the title. Let’s take a look at the favorites.

Novak Djokovic

After an outstanding 2023, in which Novak Djokovic won three Grand Slam titles (Australian Open, French Open, and US Open) and reached the Wimbledon final (losing to Carlos Alcaraz), many expected him to maintain that form this season. However, he has struggled to perform at key moments. So far, he has only reached one Grand Slam final, which was at Wimbledon, where he lost to Alcaraz for the second year in a row. The 37-year-old Serb returns to Shanghai, where he has won four titles and boasts 40 Masters trophies. Fans will no doubt be eager to see if he can recapture the magic. Securing gold at the Paris Olympics would boost his morale, and there’s no doubt he’ll want to end the year on a high note.

Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner has truly elevated his game this year. The 23-year-old Italian tennis ace has become a formidable player on the court and spent much of the year near the top of the rankings. His achievements include winning the Australian Open earlier this year, despite coming back from a set down. More recently, he triumphed at the US Open despite facing off-court issues. As the “Big Four” era of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray fades into history, Sinner is one of the players expected to dominate the game going forward. His tenacity and fighting spirit have been on display, particularly in his recent match against Carlos Alcaraz, where he lost a thrilling final 6-7, 6-4, 7-6.

Carlos Alcaraz

This year has been one of the best in Carlos Alcaraz’s career. The 21-year-old has shown incredible maturity, confidence, and composure on the tennis court. There’s no doubt that he has delivered standout performances, making it difficult for his competitors to keep up. Alcaraz has secured two Grand Slam titles this year. First, he won the French Open, following in the footsteps of his mentor Rafael Nadal. He then captured the Wimbledon title by outclassing Novak Djokovic in straight sets. After his strong showing at the Laver Cup, Alcaraz continued his excellent form by defeating Jannik Sinner in the final of the China Open, coming from a set down. Alcaraz now leads their head-to-head 6-4 and boasts an impressive 8-1 record against players ranked in the Top Five this year.

Daniil Medvedev

As one of the most consistent performers on the tennis circuit, it’s hard to count out Daniil Medvedev in any competition he enters. The 28-year-old has enjoyed another strong season. In January, he came close to securing the Australian Open title after leading in the final, but Jannik Sinner fought back to snatch the win. To prepare for the Shanghai Masters, Medvedev competed in the China Open, where he lost in the semi-finals to Carlos Alcaraz. Known for his strong performances on hard courts, Medvedev will look to continue his good form in Shanghai.

Alexander Zverev

Despite struggling with a lung infection that forced him to withdraw from the China Open, Alexander Zverev has confirmed to the media that he will participate in the Shanghai Masters this week. His last tournament was the Laver Cup, after which he was hospitalized. The 28-year-old German will be aiming to add another Masters title to his resume this year. Earlier in the season, he successfully defended his Italian Open title and came close to winning the French Open, where he lost in the final to Carlos Alcaraz. As a player who excels on hard courts, Zverev will be determined to keep his strong record intact. He will need to be at his best, as the competition is fierce, but it would be unwise to doubt his ability to rise to the occasion.