Key Takeaways
- A spectator reported that Alexander Zverev showed up over an hour late for a practice session on court 5 in Shanghai, prompting Ben Shelton and Little Hewitt to be moved to court 10.
- Wu Yibing raised concerns about Zverev’s conduct during their second-round match, accusing the German of breaking match rhythm through unnecessary distractions.
- Zverev secured a 6-4, 7-6 (4) win against Wu to progress to a round-of-32 encounter with Quentin Halys.
Practice scheduling dispute emerges in Shanghai
Alexander Zverev has drawn criticism from tennis spectators following reports of a delayed training session at the Qizhong Forest Sports City during the Shanghai Masters. The situation unfolded after the German reached the round of 32 by defeating Wu Yibing 6-4, 7-6 (4) in his opening contest, which followed a first-round bye.
According to an attendee on the social media platform RedNote, Zverev arrived more than an hour behind his scheduled 10:30 court time on court number 5, leaving his hitting partner waiting before appearing at 11:50. The account indicated that Ben Shelton and Little Hewitt, who were booked to begin their practice on the same court at noon, were consequently shifted over to court 10 to accommodate Zverev.
Wu Yibing questions on-court tactics
The practice court controversy follows remarks made by Wu regarding Zverev’s conduct during their round-of-64 encounter. The Chinese player expressed frustration with what he perceived as disruptive gamesmanship during their two-set battle.
Addressing the press, Wu explained that he did not appreciate the German’s actions, noting that “it wasn’t such a ‘pure’ competition” because of various interruptions. He pointed to specific antics, stating that Zverev was falling to the court, complaining about lighting, and adjusting the net strap to disrupt the flow of play while under pressure.
Wu contrasted the experience with his earlier meeting against Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open, where he felt the contest presented a higher competitive standard without unnecessary theatrics. Zverev advanced in the draw to face Quentin Halys in the subsequent stage of the event.
ATP Shanghai - Alexander Zverev's projected path
Alexander Zverev in 2026
Currently the world no.2 (career-high), Zverev played his last match on the 11th of October when he beat world no.48 Quentin Halys 6-4 6-7(8) 6-3 in the 3rd round in Shanghai (draw).
Until now, during this year Alexander has managed to achieve an overall 60-15 record. The German has won 2 titles in 2026 at the French Open and U.S. Open.
