The win marks a positive return to form for Shelton, who had experienced a challenging period following his run to the US Open final. Since that major tournament, he represented the United States in Davis Cup competition, where he suffered defeats in both of his singles matches, and he had previously withdrawn from the Laver Cup team event.
Tournament developments and results
While Shelton celebrated his progression, the Shanghai draw saw significant movement elsewhere. Ninth-seeded Alex de Minaur moved into the third round via a walkover after his scheduled opponent, Alex Molcan, retired from the match due to an undisclosed ailment. De Minaur’s advancement comes after he was forced to retire himself during the China Open final against Novak Djokovic due to an adductor injury.
In another notable result, qualifier Rei Sakamoto produced a surprise victory, defeating 23rd-seeded Andrey Rublev in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. The tournament continues to navigate a high-profile field, with top-seeded Alexander Zverev, who defeated Shelton in the US Open final, scheduled for a match against Chinese wild-card entry Wu Yibing. Additionally, Novak Djokovic, fresh from securing his 102nd career title at the China Open, was slated for a Friday night encounter against Hubert Hurkacz.
Injury concerns impact the field
The Shanghai Masters has been affected by high-profile absences and injury concerns. Jannik Sinner, the world number one, withdrew from the event earlier this week, announcing that he would sit out the remainder of the 2026 season to recover from a right knee injury. Addressing the situation, Djokovic noted on Thursday that he intends to reach out to Sinner regarding the Italian's difficult, injury-plagued campaign.
