Shanghai Masters 2024: 5 dark horses to win ft. Ben Shelton, Grigor Dimitrov
Shanghai Masters 2024 is just around the corner, and we are in for two weeks of high-octane tennis action at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena in the Chinese city. The Masters 1000 event will be the last men's tournament in the Asian swing before we head to Europe for the indoor tournaments.
Record champion Novak Djokovic will return to Shanghai for the first time since 2019 when he reached the quarterfinals. It will be the Serb's first individual tournament since his disappointing third-round exit at the US Open. He will enter the Masters 1000 event at the back of guiding Serbia to the qualifying rounds of the 2025 Davis Cup.
Hubert Hurkacz won the Shanghai Masters last year after winning an enthralling final 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(8). The Pole is bound to have a difficult title defense due to his own rocky form and because of the quality present in the tournament.
The likes of Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will be among the favorites to win, as will the likes of Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev. However, there are also a few more players who may not be too fancied but there is a chance of them making a deep run in Shanghai given their recent performances.
On that note, let's take a look at five dark horses to win the Shanghai Masters.
#5. Marin Cilic
While Marin Cilic may be a little far away from the player he was in his pomp, the Croat did win the Hangzhou Open not long back. The Croat beat three seeded opponents in Yoshihito Nishioka, Brandon Nakashima and Zhang Zhizhen en route to the title.
Cilic also put up a tough fight in his opening-round three-set defeat to eventual quarterfinalist Kei Nishikori. The Croat will face Arthur Cazaux in the first round of the Shanghai Masters and the winner will face 16th seed Ugo Humbert.
If Cilic manages to beat the Frenchman, there is a fair chance of him going to the last 16 of the Masters 1000 event, with the likes of Sebastian Baez and Gael Monfils being his potential third-round opponents. One major obstacle would be the possibility of facing Carlos Alcaraz in the fourth round of the tournament.
That said, if Cilic is at his fittest, then on his day, he could make things difficult for even the toughest of opponents.
#4. Alexei Popyrin
20th seed Alexei Popyrin has produced some impressive performances over the past few weeks, notably winning his maiden Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open. The Aussie also ended Novak Djokovic's title defense at the US Open.
Popyrin will enter the Shanghai Masters at the back of an opening-round exit at the Japan Open. The 25-year-old will start off against either Miomir Kecmanovic or Rinky Hijikata in the second round. Victory for the Aussie could set up a possible third-round clash against ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov.
While Popyrin could be the underdog against the Bulgarian, he is capable of beating him at his best. On his day, there is a fair chance of the Aussie producing the kind of performances he displayed in Montreal.
#3. Ugo Humbert
16th seed Ugo Humbert has had some promising performances so far this season, winning two titles in Dubai and Marseille, both of them on hard courts. The Frenchman is currently competing in the semifinals of the Japan Open (at the time of writing).
Humbert reached the quarterfinals of the Shanghai Masters in 2023 and has a fair chance of making another good run this time around. The Frenchman will face either Marin Cilic or Arthur Cazaux in the second round. While the Croat will be a tricky opponent, Humbert has a fair chance of coming out on top.
If the Frenchman beats Cilic, there is a fair chance of him reaching the fourth round, where he could be up against Carlos Alcaraz. If Humbert manages to get the better of the Spaniard, that would give him a massive morale boost ahead of the latter stages in Shanghai.
#2. Ben Shelton
Ben Shelton has had some pretty decent performances on hard courts so far this season, most recently reaching the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Open. The 21-year-old also reached the quarterfinals of the Japan Open.
Shelton is seeded 14th at the Shanghai Masters and will face either Lorenzo Sonego or a qualifier in the second round. The American's quality of tennis could see him reach the fourth round, where he could face a major obstacle in World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who has been in the form of his life.
He beat the Italian in last year's edition of the Shanghai Masters and if he can notch up another win, then it should not be much of a surprise if he goes all the way in Shanghai.
#1. Grigor Dimitrov
Ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov has had a pretty good 2024 season so far, during which, he reached the final of the Miami Open and the quarterfinals of two Grand Slams at the French Open and US Open. The Bulgarian also won the Brisbane International.
Dimitrov will face either Zhang Zhizhen or Zizou Bergs in the first round of the Shanghai Masters and a win could set up a potential third-round matchup against 20th seed Alexei Popyrin. While the Aussie is a tough opponent, there is a good chance of the Bulgarian beating him and reaching the fourth round, where his potential opponents include Novak Djokovic and Frances Tiafoe.