Carlos Alcaraz said he was feeling “mentally fresh” on Thursday ahead of the Shanghai Masters, after the Spanish star won his first title since returning from a months-long injury.<\/p>\n
The world number three said his body was still adjusting to playing demanding matches after coming back from a wrist injury that sidelined him from April until the US Open in August.<\/p>\n
But he comes into Shanghai having won the Japan Open on Tuesday, beating Jiri Lehecka<\/a> 7-6(4), 6-4 in the final.<\/p>\n “I’m feeling very good. Physically I’m well, I’m feeling mentally fresh,” the 23-year-old told reporters in the Chinese city.<\/p>\n “I’m training very well, so we’ll see.”<\/p>\n Alcaraz<\/a> has never gone beyond the quarter-finals in Shanghai, and missed last year’s tournament due to fitness issues.<\/p>\n The former world number one has previously criticised the packed tennis schedule, particularly the autumn “Asian swing” that follows the US Open.<\/p>\n “If we see a couple years back, you know, probably this swing or this part of the season, it’s never been my best one,” Alcaraz said.<\/p>\n But he added that he was “ready to take on the challenge” in Shanghai, where he will kick off his campaign against either Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo<\/a> or qualifier Nicolas Mejia<\/a> of Colombia in the second round.<\/p>\n Alcaraz’s path to victory has opened up after current world number one Jannik Sinner<\/a> announced on Tuesday he was ending his 2026 season with a knee injury.<\/p>\n His main rivals in the draw are Germany’s Alexander Zverev<\/a>, the current world number two, and Serbian veteran Novak Djokovic<\/a>, who claimed his 102nd career title in Beijing on Tuesday.<\/p>\n Djokovic hails Sinner’s ‘big-picture’ thinking<\/p>\n Djokovic, 39, told reporters in Shanghai that Sinner was “smart” to call time on his season to heal.<\/p>\n “He has to think long-term,” Djokovic said. “That’s smart because, you know, as someone that… always tried to have the big picture in my mind, I really support that.”<\/p>\n “It’s important that you give yourself more years to your career, so you have more chances to accomplish all of your objectives,” added the 24-time Grand Slam champion.<\/p>\n Djokovic is riding the momentum of his Beijing triumph into the prestigious Shanghai event, which he has won a record four times but not since 2018.<\/p>\n “It was a phenomenal week for me, Beijing, the best week of this year, no doubt,” the former world number one said.<\/p>\n “I’m trying to… use the confidence and hopefully have another great deep run.”<\/p>\n