By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday October 5, 2024
The pair of tennis titans started on their path to a potential semifinal at the Shanghai Masters on Saturday.
Photo Source: TTV
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are on collision course once again in Shanghai. The pair of superstars last clashed in Beijing on Wednesday evening, with Alcaraz coming through a three-set thriller to claim the title. On Saturday in Shanghai, the pair moved through their opening round matches without much fuss.
Alcaraz defeated China’s Shang Juncheng, 6-2, 6-2 in the opening match on the Saturday ticket in Shanghai, while Sinner took the court next and marched past Japan’s Taro Daniel, 6-1, 6-4, for his 250th career ATP win.
World No.1 Sinner, who is 0-3 against Alcaraz in 2024, is now the first player born in 2000 or later to have earned 250 wins on tour (250-80).
/br> He improves to 60-6 on the season, with six titles, including his first two major titles at the Australian Open and the US Open.
Sinner will face Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the third round.
Alcaraz also has two Slam titles to his name (four in total), and he stretched his winning streak to 10 victories with his win over 19-year-old Shang.
He will face China’s Wu Yibing next.
"I'm not used to playing against players younger than me," Alcaraz said. "He has been playing good tennis lately, lifting his first ATP [title in Chengdu], so I'm pretty sure he's going to climb the rankings. I'm just happy to to be able to win these kinds of matches.
In other action on Saturday, 19-year-old Czech Jakub Mensik notched his third Top-10 win of 2024, defeating World No.6 Andrey Rublev, 6-7(7), 6-4, 6-3. Mensik earned 19 break points against Rublev, and converted seven, to improve to 2-0 lifetime against Rublev.