Key Takeaways
- Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Belgian qualifier Kimmer Coppejans 6-3, 7-5 in the first round of the Shanghai Masters.
- Following his match, the Greek star wrote a camera lens note reading Shu Shu for his girlfriend, Kristen Thoms.
- Tsitsipas will next take on Italian player Luciano Darderi in the second round.
Opening round victory and a camera message
Stefanos Tsitsipas kicked off his Shanghai Masters campaign with a solid 6-3, 7-5 victory over Belgian qualifier Kimmer Coppejans. Following the handshake, the Greek player walked over to the on-court broadcaster’s lens to sign a personal note, writing “Shu Shu” accompanied by a heart, which was dedicated to his partner, Kristen Thoms.
The meaning behind mutual nicknames
Addressing the broadcast message afterwards, Tsitsipas explained the pet name he shares with Thoms, who competed in collegiate tennis before pursuing modeling. He noted that they exchange complementary nicknames, with Thoms affectionately referring to him as Shi Shi.
Tsitsipas detailed that the moniker Shi Shi relates to traditional Japanese lion-dog statues, which he felt suited his August birthday and long hair. By contrast, the name he wrote on the lens occurred without any calculated background, pointing out that “it just came out naturally” when choosing what to call her.
Looking forward in Shanghai
Thoms previously accompanied Tsitsipas during the European clay swing in Madrid, where he highlighted the mental comfort her support provides during intense competitive moments. The former world No. 3 is currently working to rebuild his form and ranking after sliding beyond the top 40, having targeted a return to Grand Slam seedings.
His tournament journey in Shanghai continues in the second round, where he is slated to face Italian competitor Luciano Darderi.
🥰 “My girlfriend Kristen, I call her Shu Shu and I wanted to write it on the camera for her. It’s a cute little nickname. She calls me Shi Shi” Stefanos Tsitsipas shared a sweet story from his relationship with us 🫶 https://t.co/luachcuw3V
— BB Tennis (@BBTennis_tv) October 8, 2026
ATP Shanghai - Stefanos Tsitsipas's projected path
Tsitsipas in Shanghai, ranking, and results in 2026
Currently the world no.43, Tsitsipas owns a compiled 37-21 record in 2026. Tsitsipas is now having a run in Shanghai where he toppled the world no.232 Kimmer Coppejans 6-3 7-5 and the world no.21 Luciano Darderi 6-3 6-4.
Stefanos Tsitsipas will come up against the world no.12 Taylor Fritz in the 3rd round. Their actual record is 4-2 for Tsitsipas.
The Greek conquered 1 title in 2026 in Gstaad.
Stefanos won 14 titles in his career: 2 on hard courts, 6 on clay courts, 5 on indoor courts and 1 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
