De Minaur and Auger-Aliassime reach last 16
Confident wins boost their Shanghai Masters campaigns
Alex de Minaur and Félix Auger‑Aliassime progressed to the fourth round of the Shanghai Masters with composed straight‑sets victories, reinforcing their status among the tournament’s in‑form contenders.
Seventh seed De Minaur dismantled Kamil Majchrzak 6-1, 7-5, breaking the Pole five times and notching his 36th hard‑court win of the season — the highest on tour. De Minaur dominated early with sharp returns and relentless court coverage, racing through the opening set before weathering a mid‑set surge from Majchrzak in the second. Trailing 3-4, he swung momentum with two successive breaks to close out the match, combining defensive solidity with opportunistic aggression. The Australian’s run in Shanghai keeps him in the ATP Race conversation for Turin qualification and underlines a campaign built on consistency and speed.
Twelve seed Auger‑Aliassime continued his flawless start in Shanghai, defeating Jesper de Jong 6-4, 7-5. The Canadian produced a polished performance, fusing heavy serves with cleaner decision‑making from the baseline to avoid extended errors that have hampered him this season. Auger‑Aliassime’s confidence in shorter points and ability to convert key break chances were decisive; the win offers a timely boost as he attempts to recalibrate a year of mixed results.
Portugal’s Nuno Borges advanced to meet De Minaur after overcoming home favourite Shang Juncheng 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3, marking Borges’s fourth appearance in a Masters 1000 round of 16. Borges’s victory highlighted his resilience in tight moments and his capacity to trouble higher‑ranked opponents with steady baseline play.
Czech Jiri Lehecka defeated Canadian Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 6-4 and now awaits either third seed Alexander Zverev or France’s Arthur Rinderknech in the next round, leaving open potential marquee matchups.
Humidity and long rallies have tested players physically, but De Minaur’s energy and Auger‑Aliassime’s sharper shot selection stood out as defining features of their wins. Both now face tougher opponents and the prospect of deeper runs that could shape the closing stages of their seasons.
