5 lesser known facts about the Rolex Shanghai Masters

The only ATP Masters 1000 title to not be played in either North America or Europe, the Shanghai Rolex Masters was first played in the year 2009 with Russian Nikolay Davydenko emerging victorious in the final against Rafael Nadal.

The Shanghai Rolex Masters has won the ATP Masters 1000 Best Tournament of the Year 5 consecutive years between 2009 and 2013. In 2017, Roger Federer made history at the Rolex Shanghai Masters when he became the oldest man to win an ATP Masters 1000 tournament at the age of 36.

As we approach the 10th edition of the tournament, we take a look at 5 facts about this premier tennis tournament in Asia:

#5 Only 2 players have played in all 9 Shanghai Rolex Masters

Frenchman Gilles Simon and the man with the most consecutive Grand Slam Singles appearances at 67 and counting Spaniard Feliciano Lopez are the only 2 men to have featured in the Main Draw of all 9 Shanghai Rolex Masters played since the inaugural edition of the tournament in the year 2009.

Simon was a runner-up in 2014, losing to Roger Federer, and Lopez has made the semi-finals on 3 different occasions.

Gilles Simon at the 2018 US Open

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#4 Lowest seeded player to win the title

Nikolay Davydenko lifting the ATP World Tour Finals 2009 trophy

In 2009, Russian Nikolay Davydenko seeded 9th sprung a surprise of sorts when he beat top-seeded Rafael Nadal in straight sets to win the inaugural Shanghai Masters trophy. In the same year, Davydenko also won the ATP Tour Finals topping off a spectacular year for him.

#3 All 4 top-seeded players made it to the Semi-Finals on only 1 occasion

Djokovic at the 2012 Shanghai Rolex Masters

In the year 2012, semi-final lineups were reflective of the seedings as the Top-4 seeded players all made it to the semi-finals. Two-time defending champion Andy Murray was up against Novak Djokovic in the final.

Djokovic had to save 5 Championship points in the 2nd set in order to force a deciding 3rd set. Djokovic eventually won the contest and the match was voted as the best ATP Tour match of 2012. The losing semi-finalists were top seed Roger Federer and 4th seed Tomas Berdych.

#2 Most doubles titles

Leander Paes at the 2018 Australian Open

Indian tennis star Leander Paes and Brazilian Marcelo Melo have each won two doubles titles with their respective partners. Leander Paes first won in 2010 with Austrian partner Jurgen Melzer and his second victory came with Czech Radek Stepanek in 2012.

Marcelo Melo won the Doubles titles in 2013 and 2015 with partners Ivan Dodig and Raven Klaasen respectively.

#1 Most singles titles

Andy Murray and Roger Federer at the 2010 Shanghai Rolex Masters

Scot Andy Murray and Serbian star Novak Djokovic hold the record for the most Shanghai Masters titles at 3 a piece. Andy Murray took the title in the years 2010, 2011 and in 2016. Murray was also a runner-up in 2012.

Novak won the title in 2012, 2013 and 2015 and has never lost a final at the Shanghai Masters. Novak also holds the record for most matches won here at 27. The match between the two at the 2012 final which Djokovic won in 3 sets is the longest match in Shanghai Rolex Masters history and was voted the best match on the ATP Tour in the year 2012.