08:30 CET - US Open finalist Ben Shelton has avoided any first-round drama after starting his Shanghai campaign with a routine 6-3, 7-6 win against Daniel Altmaier in just under two hours.
07:45 CET - Good morning, and welcome back to our coverage of the Shanghai Masters and the WTA 1000 event in Beijing, with a host of big names set to take the court in China today.
Several of the world's best players will get their Shanghai campaigns underway this morning, including recent Beijing champion and four-time champion Novak Djokovic, soon-to-be world number one Alexander Zverev, Alexander Bublik, and Jakub Mensik.
Two players eyeing ATP Finals qualification, Flavio Cobolli and Ben Shelton are on court in second-set action. Meanwhile, 23rd seed and big favourite Andrey Rublev was stunned early on this morning in the first match of the day, losing in straight sets to Japan's Rei Sakamoto.
Over in Beijing, the final two semi-final spots are up for grabs, beginning with a clash between home favourite Qinwen Zheng and Elina Svitolina at 09:00 CET.
The Ukrainian has enjoyed a superb 2026, and this is her fifth quarter-final at 1000 level. Meanwhile, Zheng has been in great form since the US Open, showing signs that the former world number four is returning to her best after a serious elbow injury.
At midday, 2023 champion Iga Swiatek goes head-to-head with Elise Mertens. The Pole is currently ranked 10th in the Race to the WTA Finals, so she will need a good few weeks to qualify for the tournament for an eighth straight year.
The pair have played each other twice, with Swiatek winning comfortably on both occasions.
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