Shanghai Masters hit by seven withdrawals as Fonseca and Rinderknech pull out

The Shanghai Masters has lost seven entrants before a ball has been struck, with Arthur Rinderknech and Joao Fonseca the most significant names to withdraw from the penultimate Masters event of the ATP season.

Rinderknech, who reached last year's final before losing to his cousin, qualifier Valentin Vacherot, in one of the biggest upsets of the 2025 season, has pulled out with an abdominal issue, according to Tennis365.

The withdrawal carries a heavy cost. Rinderknech was defending 650 ranking points from that run to the final, and losing them will push the Frenchman out of the world's top 50. He currently sits at No 33.

Fonseca's exit is the highest-profile of the group. The Brazilian, fresh from representing his country in the Davis Cup, confirmed he will skip the entire Asian swing rather than just Shanghai.

"2026 has been a very challenging year for me. On top of everything the profession demands, a series of injuries ended up taking me out of important tournaments and keeping me from playing the way I would like to," Fonseca wrote on Instagram, as reported by Tennis365.

"I talked a lot with my team, and we came to the conclusion that the best decision right now is to listen to my body, give my mind and body a break, and skip the Asian swing," he added.

Sebastian Korda, Corentin Moutet, Ethan Quinn, Raphael Collignon and Roman Andres Burruchaga have also withdrawn, completing a list of seven absentees for a tournament that runs from October 7 to 18 at the penultimate Masters stop of the year.

Their places have been taken by Facundo Diaz Acosta, Marcos Giron, Zachary Svajda, Hamad Medjedovic, Marco Trungelliti, Marin Cilic and Tomas Machac respectively, Tennis365 reports.

At the top of the draw, uncertainty persists over world No 1 Jannik Sinner, who is reportedly yet to confirm whether he will travel to China, with a decision expected in the coming days.

Carlos Alcaraz, by contrast, is set to return to Masters-level competition for the first time since the Monte Carlo Masters in April. A wrist injury had kept the Spaniard out of Madrid, Rome, Montreal and Cincinnati.

As is standard at Masters 1000 level, the leading ranked players will receive a bye straight into the second round in Shanghai, softening the blow of the depleted field for those still set to compete.