The first round of the Shanghai Masters begins on Wednesday when qualifier Denis Shapovalov takes on Lorenzo Sonego. Botic van de Zandschulp and Pablo Carreno Busta are also on the schedule.

Lorenzo Sonego vs (Q) Denis Shapovalov

Due to injury problems and also inconsistent play, Shapovalov is ranked 101st in the world and therefore had to qualify for the Rolex Shanghai Masters. The Canadian left-hander did this successfully by defeating Yu Hsiou Hsu and Sho Shimabukuro – the latter was eliminated in the second set. Shapovalov now has a five-match winning streak, by far his longest of the season, as well as three straight-set wins in Davis Cup competition.

Next up for the 25-year-old is a third meeting with Sonego in Shanghai on Wednesday. They have split their previous two meetings; Shapovalov prevailed 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-3 at the 2022 Rome Masters before Sonego won 7-6(4), 6-7(5), 6 at the 2022 Davis Cup Finals -4 got the job done. Sonego sits a respectable 50th in the rankings, but is 0-2 since winning the trophy in Winston-Salem. Since he already has two wins in this tournament, Shapovalov should have the edge in this tournament.

Selection: Shapovalov in 3

(PR) Pablo Carreno Busta vs. Botic van de Zandschulp

Van de Zandschulp and Carreno Busta will face each other for the second time in their careers on Wednesday. Their only match so far came two years ago on the red clay of Madrid, where Van de Zandschulp scored a 6-7(6), 7-6(1), 6-3 victory.

Since then it has been a story of two different developments. Carreno Busta was incredibly solid on the court but couldn't stay healthy. Van de Zandschulp seemingly plays every week of every year, but he was all over the place. For example, the Dutchman, ranked 67th, upset Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open last month, otherwise things have been terrible in 2024. Unfortunately for Van de Zandschulp, Carreno Busta is finally healthy and playing well. The 33-year-old Spaniard's recent results include a third-round appearance at the Cincinnati Masters and a semifinal finish in Winston-Salem. Carreno Busta is the more reliable and consistent of the two players, so look for him to progress.

Selection: Carreno Busta in 2