Alexander Zverev kick-started his Shanghai Masters campaign with a straight-sets victory over Valentin Royer.

The third seed won 6-4 6-4 in an hour and 39 minutes to set up a last 32 tie against France’s Arthur Rinderknech.

Zverev wasted no time in making his mark, breaking Royer in the opening game of the match before holding to serve to see out the first.

It was a similar story in the second, this time taking Royer’s serve in the ninth game after saving two break points of his own, before securing the win with his first match point.

Zverev will be joined in the next round by Alex De Minaur after he cruised to a 6-4 6-2 victory against Camilo Ugo Carabelli.

De Minaur, like Zverev, converted just one break point in the first before showing more dominance in the second against his Argentinian counterpart.

Andrey Rublev, however, was stunned in Shanghai by Yoshihito Nishioka, who is ranked outside the ATP top 100.

Rublev won the first set 6-2 before Nishioko bounced back in style to take the second and third 6-1 6-4.

160 - Among active players, only two players have claimed more ATP Masters 1000 match wins than Alexander Zverev (160) - Novak Djokovic (415) and Stan Wawrinka (166). Lasting.#RolexShanghaiMasters | @SH_RolexMasters @atptour @ATPMediaInfo pic.twitter.com/pG7kOkFOPN

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) October 4, 2025

Data Debrief: De Minaur brings up new personal best

Among active players, only two players have claimed more ATP Masters 1000 match wins than Zverev (160) following his victory over Royer - Novak Djokovic (415) and Stan Wawrinka (166).

De Minaur, meanwhile, secured a 48th tour-level win in a single season for the first time in his career, and is the first Australian man to hit that total since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004.