Tennis stars converge in China's biggest city for the Shanghai Rolex Masters, with Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal set to compete at the ATP 1000 Masters event.
The Shanghai Rolex Masters 2016, the eighth ATP World Tour 1000 Masters event of the year, features a star-studded field, including world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who attempts to win his fourth-title in the event. But Djokovic, who is coming off an elbow injury that forced him to skip the recently-concluded China Open, will have a tough path to defend his crown.
The top seed Djokovic, who received a first-round bye, will open against Fabio Fognini, who defeated Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-5 6-3. If Djokovic could get past Fognini, the Serb could face either Grigor Dimitrov or Richard Gasquet in Round of 16. The 12-time Grand Slam winner could also battle Nick Kyrgios or Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals, while set up a match against career rival Rafael Nadal in the semifinal round.
It will be Djokovic's first competition since losing in the final round of the US Open against Stan Wawrinka. Djokovic admitted he has been dealing with personal issues, reaching to the point of redefining success in his tennis career. But if the Serb could find a way to reignite his interest in winning tournaments, another finals appearance is on the table for Djokovic.
Meanwhile, Nadal may also find it difficult to progress deep in the tournament, with Djokovic serving as a major roadblock for the Mallorcan. The fourth-seeded Nadal will start his campaign in Shanghai against either Viktor Troicki or Lukas Rosol. Should the 14-time Grand Slam winner advance into the next round, he could face fellow Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut in the QF round.
Nadal has yet to score a win over Djokovic since the former defeated the latter at the French Open back in 2014. In their 49 head-to-head matchups, Nadal has won 23, but has lost eight-straight singles matches against Djokovic, most recently at the ATP 1000 Masters in Rome.
Unlike Djokovic, who is already secured of a spot at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, Nadal is in pressure to win the remaining tournaments of his calendar schedule to improve his chances of competing at the Tour finale.
Certainly, there are many factors that could affect Djokovic and Nadal's stint at the Shanghai Masters, but if both players could get past their opponents in the early rounds, fans can expect another epic match between Djokovic and Nadal.