How tight the ATP circuit calendar is is one of the most recurring themes in recent years when players publicly raise their protests, and on the tour of China the situation is getting worse. The main victims are Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, protagonists last Wednesday of the final of the ATP 500 in Beijing that the Spaniard wonand that just three days later they will make their debut this Saturday at the Shanghai Masters 1,000. The Murcian, third seed, will face the local Juncheng Shang at 12:30 local time (06:30 in Spain, M+), and then the Italian will do so, first, against Taro Daniel. This day will also see the reappearance of Novak Djokovic, who will play his first match on the circuit in more than a month against Alex Michelsen.
All the favorites in contention and at once. Alcaraz and Sinner, who traveled on the same plane after their battle in the Chinese capital, should have made their debut this Friday, but the organization of the Shanghai tournament took pity on them and gave them a few extra hours of rest. “I couldn’t do much after the final. I did press, took a shower and had to run because we had to catch the flight. “We arrived in Shanghai very late and I couldn’t sleep as much as I would have liked,” The man from El Palmar, back to second place in the world ranking, explained his odyssey at a press conference. “I am happy to be in Shanghai and to play here once again. “I am also very happy with the victory, and already focused on this tournament.”
This 2024 will be the second participation in Alcaraz’s career in Shanghai, where last year he fell in the fourth round against Dimitrov, so he can add a good haul of points if he continues at a high level. His first stop, although it is in the second round since the seeds are exempt from the initial phase, will be the Chinese Juncheng Shang, 19 years old and 51st in the world, one of the great promises of Chinese tennis and whom Carlitos beat this year at the Australian Open due to the Pekingese’s withdrawal. “I’ve only played with him once, and he got injured. After that I haven’t trained or played with him. Yes, I have seen a little of their games. I know he has great potential, very good tennis. I’m going to prepare as best I can for the game. “I’m going to have two days to get used to the conditions in Shanghai and be ready for the first match,” analyzed the young Spaniard, who is going through a sweet moment after his title in Beijing. “I hope to continue playing the way I am and we will see what happens. But I will be ready.”
The marathon for Sinner and Alcaraz, in case of victory, will be even greater, since They would have to repeat on Sunday and play the third round without a day of rest (the Spaniard would face the also Chinese Yibing Wu). The four-time Grand Slam champion spoke, once again, about the issue of how tight the calendar is, although with resignation. “I have said it many times, the schedule is very tight, but we have to get used to it. I finished a three-hour game and then I didn’t have time to do anything. I went to the club (from Beijing) with all the suitcases because I knew we had to run after the final to catch a flight. We arrived at 4 in the morning. The schedule is very, very tight. We travel from tournament to tournament, arriving one or two days before a tournament starts, so it is difficult, but we have to get used to it,” Alcaraz said.
In the midst of this whirlwind of matches and lack of rest, Carlitos is shining again after a difficult period after the Olympic Games, which had its lowest point in the premature elimination of the US Open. For the Murcian there are no secrets regarding his improvement. “Trainings. I have had a very good month of training after the American tour. The Davis and Laver helped me regain my energy and stay motivated. I love playing in teams and all the people helped me improve, to feel great off the court as well, which for me is what’s important. Those tournaments helped me regain my happiness on the court and stay focused on what was to come. I arrived in Asia enjoying every second I was on the track. Now I am ready for the next tournaments, I want to play them and enjoy them again.”
In addition to Charly, the other two great Shanghai coconuts will debut this Saturday. Following the Spaniard’s match, Sinner’s match will be played against the Japanese Taro Daniel, 31 years old and 93rd in the world, and the Italian would also have to repeat on Sunday, in that case against the Argentine Tomás Martín Etcheverry, 25th and 37th. But the great incentive on Saturday will be the reappearance of Novak Djokovic, who will face the American Alex Michelsen, 20th and 43rd, in his first match on the ATP circuit since August 31, when he was surprised at the US Open by Popyrin. Since then, Nole only played a couple of matches (one singles and one doubles) in the Davis Cup to help Serbia ensure its presence in the 2025 Qualifiers. Djokovic, fourth in the world ranking, has the urgent need in Shanghai to get a good result because, at this moment, he is out of the ATP Finals in Turin since he is ninth in the Race, although his asset is that Alex de Miñaur, eighth, is not competing due to injury.
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