A champion's start: Jannik Sinner kicks off Shanghai Masters title defence in style with Daniel Altmaier win

Jannik Sinner was very much the main attraction on Saturday at the Shanghai Masters with his long awaited return to the tournament after winning the title last year and while the fans were made to wait someway into the tournament for his appearance, they were duly rewarded.

The World No.2 eased past Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-3 on Saturday to kickstart his 2025 campaign at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena and he will aim to become the first player since Novak Djokovic in 2013 to defend the title in Shanghai. Djokovic of course is a record breaking champion in this event.

He arrives though having won the China Open ATP 500 last week so is in great form and picked up where he left off last as he went through in just over an hour and a half.

“I knew before the match it was going to be very difficult today,” said Sinner. “I didn’t have a lot of time to adapt here, but it makes it even more special. Every day, every opponent is very difficult, it’s a huge challenge. So I’m very happy to come through today and hopefully I’m able to raise my level tomorrow.”

Altmaier is a tricky opponent especially for Sinner who no doubt would've analysed his surprise defeat to the German back at Roland Garros in 2023. But he converted three out of four break points as he set up a third round meeting with Tallon Griekspoor. He now sits at 23-2 in China and has won titles twice in Beijing and also Shanghai so he comes alive in these events. He also holds a 6-0 advantage over Griekspoor in their Head-to-Head so is very much a cert to reach further in the event.

With Alcaraz missing Shanghai due to injury, the battle is on with the World No.1 very much in his grasp if he wins this week. He would only be 1,290 points behind setting up an intriguing end to the year including the ATP Finals in Turin which of course is on home soil. Also this time of year almost infamously saw him puke in a bin in China which saw him be dubbed post puke Sinner where from there on out he became a major champion and all conquering force.

He will aim to do so again over the coming weeks and having won Beijing very much has a tick in that box already. “Everything is different [here]. It’s much more humid and it can feel much more physical here,” said Sinner, when asked about going from Beijing to Shanghai so quickly. “I tried to rest, but it is difficult after you win a title. You have to have a great balance of practice. Obviously now the priority is to feel as good as I can physically for the next one.”

Elsewhere, Daniil Medvedev aims to rediscover his form further. He reached the semi-finals in Beijing and thrashed Dalibor Svrcina 6-1, 6-1 in just 60 minutes. Albeit it wasn't hugely a poor opponent as he hit 22 winners and nine unforced errors in taking him apart. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will be his next opponent who saw off Matteo Arnaldi 6-4, 6-4. Medvedev won the title in 2019 so he certainly has the tools for another revival in Shanghai.