Shanghai Masters

The Shanghai Masters is a major annual men's tennis tournament held every October at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena in Shanghai, China. As the only ATP Masters 1000 event outside Europe and North America, it draws top players and large crowds to its outdoor hard courts.

• Only ATP Masters 1000 event outside Europe and North America
• Held at Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena with a retractable magnolia roof
• Played on outdoor DecoTurf hard courts
• Draws top-ranked men's singles and doubles players
• Prize money exceeds $9 million

What it is

The Shanghai Masters is one of the nine prestigious ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, attracting the world's best male tennis players to compete in Shanghai each October. Hosted at the impressive Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, the event is a highlight of the Asian tennis calendar and serves as a showcase for elite-level sport in China. With its large draw and significant prize money, the tournament is a focal point for tennis fans across Asia, offering a rare chance to see top-ranked players in action outside the traditional tennis strongholds of Europe and North America.

Where it comes from

Professional tennis first came to Shanghai in 1996 with the Shanghai Open. The city later hosted the Tennis Masters Cup from 2002 and then from 2005 to 2008 at the newly built Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena. The success of these events led the ATP to establish the Shanghai Masters as an ATP Masters 1000 tournament in 2009, making it the flagship event of the Asian swing. The tournament was rebranded as the Shanghai Rolex Masters in 2010 following a sponsorship deal, and has since become a cornerstone of the ATP Tour in Asia.

How it is celebrated

During the Shanghai Masters, the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena comes alive with matches played on outdoor DecoTurf hard courts. The venue boasts a main stadium with a retractable roof inspired by the magnolia, Shanghai’s city flower, and can seat up to 15,000 spectators. Fans experience world-class tennis as top singles and doubles players compete for ranking points and significant prize money. The atmosphere is vibrant, with spectators from China and abroad filling the stands, and the event is supported by a full schedule of matches, player appearances, and tennis-themed activities throughout the grounds.

Joining in

Visitors can attend the Shanghai Masters at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena in Shanghai’s Minhang District. The tournament offers a chance to watch elite tennis in a modern, spacious setting, with tickets available for individual sessions or the whole event. Expect a lively crowd, a mix of local and international fans, and the excitement of seeing some of the sport’s biggest names compete at close quarters. Facilities are extensive, and the arena is easily accessible from central Shanghai.

Sources and attribution

This page is Mela's own summary, written in new words. Its facts are drawn from the Wikipedia article Shanghai Masters (tennis), whose text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Each photo is credited to its author beside it. For the full account, read the originals below.

Read more

• Shanghai Masters (tennis) on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Official websiteOfficial site
• Wikidata recordOpen data

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