The most lucrative of the nine Masters 1000s (thanks largely due to Rolex sponsorship), the Rolex Shanghai Masters–held at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena–will hand out the biggest pay check outside the four Majors to the winning player (a whopping $1,374,995).
The tournament will mark its 10-year anniversary since its inception in 2009, and aside from Nikolay Davydenko – the inaugural champion – only Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and Roger Federer have won the event. With Rafael Nadal out of the running this year due to a wrist injury, will it be a feeling of déjà vu once more or can a new champion be crowned?
Here are out thoughts on Monday’s matches. In addition to this set of predictions, we also predict two more sets of four matches.
Rolex Shanghai Masters Day 2 Predictions
Cameron Norrie vs Gilles Simon
Head-to-head: Norrie 0-1 Simon
Cameron Norrie’s progress over the last couple of seasons has been steady, if not unspectacular. The British No.3 peaked at a career-high No.41 in 2019 after reaching his maiden ATP tour final in Auckland along with semifinal showings in Acapulco and Atlanta. Norrie is out of Top 50 right now, but he has had a fairly respectable run of results than Gilles Simon – whom at 34 – is now at the twilight of his tennis career. Simon is a former finalist in Shanghai, but he is certainly playing at level below his usual best and he will be found wanting here.
Prediction: Norrie in 3
Fabio Fognini vs Sam Querrey
Head-to-head: Fognini 1-0 Querrey
Fabio Fognini will arrive in Shanghai on the back of a respectable quarterfinal showing at the China Open last week. That in itself is a significant step, considering he was sent packing in the first round of the US Open to big-serving Reilly Opelka.
Sam Querrey is not too dissimilar to Opelka, in that he possesses a big serve too and a ferocious forehand. Querrey, unlike Opelka, is very agile on the court and saved his best tennis on the grass courts this year where he reached the final in Eastbourne and the last eight at Wimbledon for the second time in his career. The 31-year-old has played in just 12 events this year after missing the entire European clay-court swing due to an abdominal issue. He also spent some time on sidelines post-Wimbledon and pulled out from Washington and Toronto.
This a dangerous match-up for Fognini, one which he is likely to lose without second thought. Fognini lost to Opelka in New York – a player with similar qualities to Querrey. But with the extra incentive of London qualification points, I am backing the Italian to hold off the American.
Prediction: Fognini in 3
Pablo Cuevas vs Cristian Garin
Head-to-head: Cuevas 0-1 Garin
A rare South American battle in the first round of Masters 1000 will see Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas face Chilean Cristian Garin. This is tough one to call as both players have been in terrible form. Garin’s brilliant start to the year seems like a distant memory. Aside from the clay season in which he won two titles, his form has evaporated and we have only seen flashes of his brilliance on grass where he reached the last eight at the Libema Open. Although his start to the Asian swing was encouraging as he reached the quarterfinals in Chengdu, that only masks the lean spell of form in North America. Cuevas on the other hand hasn’t fared better either and I expect the higher ranked South American to prevail.
Prediction: Garin 3
Andy Murray vs Juan Ignacio Londero
Head-to-head: First meeting
Two-time Shanghai Masters champion Andy Murray is fast-tracking his rise in the rankings in his second coming to tennis. Murray recorded the biggest win since his return from hip surgery when he beat US Open semifinalist Matteo Berrettini in two tight sets at the China Open. The Scotsman had almost gave up the faintest hope of ever picking up a racket, but fortunately for him he is playing pain-free once again after full recovery from hip operation. The former World No.1 will renew his bid to win a third title in Shanghai, but although it is an almighty long shot at this early stage, he should be capable of wearing down Londero. The Argentinean is no slouch, but if Murray can maintain his good level from Beijing he should navigate his way to the second round.
Prediction: Murray in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
Disagree with our Rolex Shanghai Masters predictions? As always, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.
