Novak Djokovic is a fresh off a fifth title in Beijing, where he is 24-0 lifetime. The world No. 1 is not quite as dominant in Shanghai, but to say he is not too shabby at the event would be an understatement. Djokovic boasts a 16-2 lifetime record and is the two-time defending champion. He may, however, encounter some stiff competition from the likes of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori, and Milos Raonic.
Shanghai Rolex Masters
Where: Shanghai, China
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $4,195,895
Points: 1000
Top seed: Novak Djokovic
Defending champion: Novak Djokovic
Draw analysis: Of the top four players in the world, the two Swiss are likely the most content with their Shanghai draws. Federer, who is on a collision course with Djokovic for the semifinals, will open against either Leonardo Mayer or Chinese wild card Di Wu. The 33-year-old’s nearest seed is Roberto Bautista Agut, who is coming off a retirement in the Tokyo first round after squandering five match points against Gilles Simon. A red-hot Nishikori is in Federer’s section, but the Japanese sensation has played nine matches in the past two weeks (two titles) and dealt with some minor physical issues in Tokyo. If Nishikori is not 100 percent, the door could be open for Jack Sock to reach third round and perhaps Grigor Dimitrov to face Federer in the quarters.
The first section of the bracket, meanwhile, is likely to produce another Djokovic vs. Andy Murray showdown. Djokovic will kick off his campaign against Dominic Thiem and potential third-round opponent Kevin Anderson is another big hitter, but the world No. 1 is so good at this tournament an all throughout Asia that it is hard to see him losing prior to the quarters—if at any point this week. Possible early-round adversaries for Murray are Jerzy Janowicz and David Ferrer. Neither man is playing great tennis right now, although Janowicz managed to push Murray to three sets in last week’s Beijing opening round.
In his second tournament back following a three-month layoff due to wrist problems, Nadal is hoping to bounce back from a Beijing quarterfinal loss to Martin Klizan. The Spaniard’s draw is much more difficult than the statistics suggest. He is a combined 16-0 lifetime against the other three seeds in his section (5-0 vs. Raonic, 7-0 vs. Ernests Gulbis, and 4-0 vs. John Isner). All three, though, wield the type of powerful game that can trouble Nadal. Two of three (Gulbis and Isner) have played extremely competitive matches against the world No. 2 in the past and the other (Raonic) is in outstanding form right now. Of course, Nadal will take nothing for granted this time of year and he first has to get past either Feliciano Lopez or Thanasi Kokkinakis before running into bigger and better opponents.
The third section of the bracket is shaping up to be a three-horse race between Wawrinka, Berdych, and Cilic. Berdych, for whom Cilic has been a thorn in the side in 2014, may have to go up against the U.S. Open champion once more in round three this week. Neither player, however, can look that far ahead. Berdych awaits either Richard Gasquet or Jeremy Chardy in the Czech’s opener and Cilic has to withstand Ivo Karlovic’s serve in the first round. Wawrinka is in a seemingly easier part of this quarter, but you do not know what you are going to get from Simon and Fabio Fognini these days. Both veterans are capable of knocking out Wawrinka on a good day. Good days, though, have been few and far between of late.
First-round upset alert: Mikhail Youzhny over (12) Ernests Gulbis. Gulbis at least managed to reach the Kuala Lumpur semifinals two weeks ago, but he has been a shadow of his French Open semifinal self ever since Roland Garros. He also retired from a Beijing match against Klizan due to a shoulder injury, so nothing much is going well for Gulbis right now. The good news for the Latvian is that Youzhny has been ice cold throughout this entire season. That being said, the Russian has won two in a row in the head-to-head series dating back to the start of 2012.
Hot: Novak Djokovic, Kei Nishikori, Milos Raonic, Marin Cilic, Andy Murray, Dominic Thiem, Martin Klizan, Pablo Cuevas, Steve Johnson
Cold: David Ferrer, Fabio Fognini, Jerzy Janowicz, Santiago Giraldo, Juan Monaco, Mikhail Youzhny
Quarterfinal predictions: Novak Djokovic over Andy Murray, Roger Federer over Grigor Dimitrov, Marin Cilic over Stan Wawrinka, and Milos Raonic over Rafael Nadal
Semifinals: Djokovic over Federer and Raonic over Cilic
Final: Djokovic over Raonic
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Comments and your own predictions are appreciated!
Muzza just happening to fall in Nole’s quarter the last three tournaments.
<2% random probability.
#WarningTheTruthIsOutThere
#StayHumb1e
Jack Sock.
Hahahahahahaha
#GoBlake
i had Sock beating Nishikori at the US Open
why mess with success?
#TryHard
Nah, Nishi’s o-kei to win his quarter and I see you propping up my man Milosh again (don’t mind the jinx since he’s in Rafa’s quarter) but I’ll take Nadal in that matchup next week.
Rafa over fedfan in the phinyl.
#GloryDays
#YouSerious?
#TrollFreePost
Nishi is done
You’ve been saying that since the USO.
Probably right though. How else would he have “fallen” into fedfan’s quarter.
#TennisTalk
If Raonic meets Rafa in the quarterfinals, he’s not beating him. I would pick Rafa to win that match. I am hearing that Nishi injured himself in the Tokyo final. That gives me pause, but otherwise I would think he can get through to meet Fed.
Novak over Murray is fairly straightforward. I am not as sure about Cilic. Wawrinka could get through.
Nishi probably isn’t “injured,” but his body has never been one to successfully withstand a lot of tennis in short periods
nobody can like his chances in Shanghai
One of your SF picks is out already so Nishi should be fine at least to meet Fed.
#Sockless
Apart from his body which we know is fragile he must be emotionally drained from his heroics in Tokyo. OTH Djokovic is high on adrenaline. Cant see anyone standing in his way to winning back to back titles.
Agree with all Ricky’s QF predictions and onwards.
Raonic over Rafa.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
ROTFL.
If that happens I’ll donate my favourite bottle of wine to charity. Hint: ain’t happ’nin’………….
http://twitter.com/TennisTV/status/519063438694572032/photo/1
https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/status/518934197528842240
Anna Wintour has a lot to answer for if she styled this look for Roger…………
.
#FashionFauxPas
Why I think he looks quite positively fetching.
ed251137 (at 1:50 pm)
Who else styled him?! It’s Fed’s sponsor (Rolex) event.
I have always wondered why he is considered elegant by somebody,
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ByMkTh9CYAAq-rf.jpg
––Why I think he looks quite positively fetching.––
and there was I thinking you were a man of good taste. He looks a complete prat.
https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/status/518931871627898880
https://twitter.com/ATPWorldTour/status/518830346503065600
^^Figures. They tried hiding him behind a head, problem is the head wasn’t big enough……
Hey, don’t be dissin’ his head. My head circumference is in the top 2-percentile of largest heads in the world.
It is a burden I share with Roger.
Not something to be joked about!!!
“Upset” ALERT: Jack Sock down 0-3 in the deciding set. Federer breathing sigh of relief and preparing to giggle for a minute or two.
#Tomicked
^^^ ‘He who laughs has not yet heard the bad news.’ Bertolt Brecht
“Upset” ALERT cancelled. Bernie up 3-0 drops last 6 of 7 games (as he does). Sock lives!!!!
Bye-bye little Bernie.
(Fed cancels gigglings. Getting worried now.)
#TomicTheTankEngine
#SockIsTheNewBlake
https://twitter.com/TennisTV/status/519126805647982593
The popsock duo success has done wonders for Jack’s game.
Yep
Let’s all just slow down for a minute and realize who he just beat.
Sock beats sock puppet.
#YouSerious?
Nishi Says:
“The cool answer would be to say I was doing it for the sake of Japan, but the truth is I want to play in London, and I want the 500 points on offer here. It’s not the kind of injury that’s going to keep me from playing.”
#TheKeiIsAlright
https://twitter.com/ATPWorldTour/status/519192379069186048
I love what Nishi said about his win! He’s got his eye on the prize.
I really like Kei. He’s become one of my favorite players. I like him as a person and I love his tennis game.
Why yes, yes he can!
ATP World TourVerified account@ATPWorldTour
.@keinishikori continues surge, can clinch #FinalShowdown berth this week in #Shanghai. Watch: http://bit.ly/1s5ox69
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BzSlff1CcAE28-n.jpg:large
https://twitter.com/ATPWorldTour/status/519221817764880385
Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
HOW MANY TIMES
So Nishi can clinch a spot in the top eight for London in Shanghai? How far does he have to go to clinch a spot? I sure hope he does it.
he’s currently #5 for London I think, after his Japan Open win
@coffeelucia,
Thanks for the info!
Tiggy Says:
Final Four
Semifinals: Djokovic d. Dimitrov; Wawrinka d. Raonic
Final: Djokovic d. Wawrinka
I agree with the Nole pick (and Raonic if Rafa pulls out). Don’t see either Dimi (in Fed’s quarter, you serious?) nor Wawa in the semis.
This Wawa is not beating this Milosh.
#BelieveInTheSleeve
I agree that the only way Raonic gets there is if Rafa pulls out. I am not sure at all about Dimitrov in the semis. It’s hard to know what to expect from Stan these days. He got knocked out early in Tokyo. I am not convinced he’s going to be in the final.
Rafa took some time to warm up in the Chinese Open but I think he’s ready to go full on in this tournament. Djokovic is going to provide a good showing, as always, but I’m not so sure about Murray. Nishikori has been playing a lot since the US Open final and is probably really tired by now… don’t know if he’ll make it far in Shanghai (hope so tho :P) Raonic’s been improving his game, not just his awesome serve so overall I think it’s going to be an exciting tournament and probably lots of surprises 😀
@coffeenlucia,
Great thoughts about Shanghai, but with the latest news about Rafa that puts a damper on everything. Novak does well this time of year, so I don’t see him slowing down at all. I don’t really know what to expect from Murray. Being ranked so low, he will bump up against a top player in the quarterfinals and that’s not a good thing.
I really hope that Nishi has enough left in the tank to get a good result here. He did talk about his motivation to qualify for the big eight in London. Watching the final between Nishi and Raonic, I did find myself impressed with how Raonic has worked on his groundstrokes. They had some great baseline rallies.
I would love to hear more of your thoughts.