Shanghai - 13/10
Good morning and welcome back to TIE-Breakfast: all the tennis you need with your breakfast.
Ace Cream's daily newsletter during Masters 1000s and Grand Slams, every morning at 8:30, moved up to 6:00 every morning for this tournament.
Today is Tuesday, October 13, and in Shanghai it's 12:00 and 20 degrees. Ok, let's go.
On today's breakfast menu
- 🇧🇪 Bergs beats Alcaraz, Zverev will finish 2026 as No. 1
- 🇺🇸 Paul knocks out Vacherot, the defending champion exits in the third round
- 🇬🇷 Tsitsipas comes back against Fritz in a match with two balls falling out of a pocket
- 🎾 Fils out, Medvedev and Jodar through
- 🎾 Today: Zverev vs Bublik, Hurkacz vs Davidovich Fokina
WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY:
🇧🇪 Bergs Beats Alcaraz, Zverev Will Finish 2026 as No. 1
Zizou Bergs, world No. 39, beat Carlos Alcaraz, the No. 2 seed, 7-5, 7-6(4) in just over two hours. The Belgian finished with 9 aces and 24 winners and stopped the Spaniard, who came in fresh off the Tokyo title.
Alcaraz made a lot of errors and got frustrated with the bounces, and after the match he was honest: "My level was terrible, his was very good." Bergs said the courts are faster this year than in 2025, when he reached the quarterfinals here, and that against the great champions "it's not enough to play against them: you also have to be ready to beat them." He also said Shanghai is his favorite Masters 1000, and after two editions like these it's hard to argue. In the Round of 16 he will face Tommy Paul.
With Alcaraz's loss, Alexander Zverev, now No. 2, is mathematically certain to finish the year at No. 1. At 29, with Roland Garros and the US Open won this season and Jannik Sinner out since July with an inflammation in his right knee, Zverev called it "a dream come true." The overtake in the rankings could come as early as November 2.
🇺🇸 Paul Knocks Out Vacherot, Defending Champion Exits in the Third Round
Tommy Paul beat Valentin Vacherot 6-4, 6-2 and ended the Monegasque's winning streak in Shanghai.
Paul took charge with his forehand. Vacherot had the title points to defend. Paul's next obstacle is Bergs, and the bottom half of the draw, without Alcaraz, is now much more open.
🇬🇷 Tsitsipas Comes Back Against Fritz in a Match With Two Balls Falling Out of a Pocket
Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Taylor Fritz 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. The Greek broke the American's serve in the second set and took control from there; he now leads the head-to-head 5-2.
The eighth game of the third set was the strangest of the day: a ball fell out of Fritz's pocket on two consecutive points. The American held that game, but Tsitsipas closed it out in the next one.
🎾 Fils Out, Medvedev and Jodar Through
Botic van de Zandschulp beat Arthur Fils, the No. 8 seed, 7-5, 6-4. The Frenchman converted only one of nine break points. Daniil Medvedev got past qualifier Dalibor Svrcina 6-2, 6-3.
Rafael Jodar beat Jiri Lehecka, who reached the final in Tokyo just a few days ago. A win over a player in form like Lehecka is the kind that usually leaves something in the tank for the next round.
WHAT'S ON TODAY:
- De Minaur vs Khachanov - At 06:00 Italian time on Stadium, opening the Round of 16 slate.
- Gea vs Mensik - Next on Stadium. Arthur Gea is in the Round of 16 in his first Masters 1000 main draw.
- Zverev vs Bublik - Not before 12:00 Italian time on Stadium. It's Zverev's first match as a certain year-end No. 1, and it will be interesting to see how the ankles that worried him in the earlier rounds hold up.
- Hurkacz vs Davidovich Fokina - Next on Stadium. Hurkacz is going for his tenth straight win in Shanghai.
Further reading
- ATP Shanghai: Alcaraz knocked out by Bergs! Zverev certain of year-end No. 1
- ATP Shanghai: Defending champion Vacherot falls. Fils out too, Medvedev in command
- Bergs' big win in Shanghai, Alcaraz rattled by the bounces and his own errors
- Two Balls, Two Lets, One Bizarre Game: Tsitsipas Survives Fritz in Shanghai
- Zverev clinches year-end No. 1 ranking after Alcaraz loss and with Sinner out injured
- Masters 1000 Shanghai 2026: schedule and order of play for Tuesday, October 13
Enjoy your breakfast and have a great day.
See you tomorrow at 6:00 with TIE-Breakfast
