China's rising tennis star Shang Juncheng fought valiantly but fell 6-7(5), 6-4, 3-6 to Portugal's Nuno Borges in a grueling Shanghai Masters opener. The 20-year-old wildcard showed flashes of brilliance, rallying from a medical timeout to force a decisive third set before succumbing to fatigue and Borges' relentless baseline game.
Zverev's Season Woes Deepen
Third-seeded Alexander Zverev suffered another early tournament exit, stunned 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 by France's Arthur Rinderknech. The German's loss marks his third defeat this year to the same opponent who eliminated him at Wimbledon. Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev advanced with a 6-3, 7-6(5) win over Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Asian Representation Dwindles
With Shang's elimination, no Chinese players remain in the singles draw. Czech player Jiri Lehecka kept momentum with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Canada's Denis Shapovalov, setting up a second-round clash against Rinderknech.
