Second round promotion at the Shanghai Masters closes on Saturday, when champion Van Beijing Jannik meets Sinner Daniel Altmaier. China’s own Jerry Shang continues his campaign against Karen Khahanov.
Daniel Altmaier versus (2) Jannik Sinner
Sinner and Altmaier will give up in their career for the third time when they collide in round two of the Rolex Shanghai Masters on Saturday. Both previous encounters came to Grand Slams and went five sets. Sinner conquered 5-7, 6-2, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 in the first round of the 2022 US Open before he finally lost to Carlos Alcaraz in an epic quarter-final competition. Altmaier attracted a 6-7 (0), 7-6 (7), 1-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5 upset at the French Open 2023.
It is safe to say that their third meeting will not be expected to be competitive. Since they last went against each other, Sinner has of course won four Grand Slam titles and reached number 1 in the world (currently no. 2). The 24-year-old Italian kicked his Asian swing with a title in Beijing, where he drove past the student ten 6-2, 6-2 in the final of Wednesday. Altmaier did well to beat Tristan Schoolkate 6-3, 6-4 in the opening round of Shanghai, but he is still only 7-11 in his last 18 games that date from Roland Garros. With two days off after his triumph in Beijing, Sinner should have enough left in the tank to easily move forward.
Choose: Sinner in 2
(9) Karen Khachanov vs. (WC) Jerry Shang
Shang has endured all kinds of physical problems in the early stages of his career and he was sidelined at the end of July from the Australian Open to the Toronto Masters because of a back injury. The 20-year-old from China played only 12 games in 2025. His autumn fluctuation began with a second round in Chengdu and a first round exit from Beijing, but he took a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Aleksandar Kovacevic on Thursday.
The next for Shang is the very first confrontation against Khachanov. The 10th ranking won a total of seven games in Toronto (second) and Cincinnati (fourth round), but has since cooled with a loss of the second round at the US Open a first round setback in Beijing in the hands of Alexandre Muller. This is without a doubt a profitable competition for Shang for the home crowd, but it is difficult to physically trust him, especially at the heels of a tough three-setter in his opening match.
Pick: Khachanov in 3
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