Quick answer: The 2026 Rolex Shanghai Masters main draw runs from October 7 through October 18 at Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena in Shanghai. The ATP Masters 1000 tournament has $9,415,725 in total prize money, with $1,151,380 and 1,000 ranking points for the singles champion. Day 1 began October 7 with players including Matteo Berrettini, Zhang Zhizhen, Wu Yibing, Marin Cilic and Holger Rune in action.
Shanghai Masters 2026 key dates
| Stage | Date / timing |
|---|---|
| Qualifying | October 5–6 |
| Main draw begins | Wednesday, October 7 |
| Main draw | October 7–18 |
| Doubles final | Sunday, October 18 at 2 p.m. local time |
| Venue | Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, Shanghai |
The official tournament schedule lists main-draw sessions beginning at noon and 6 p.m. local time through much of the event. Match order and exact court assignments can change, so the tournament’s live order of play should be treated as the final authority on any given day.
Day 1 order of play: October 7
The official Wednesday schedule opened with a strong mix of international names and Chinese wild cards. Stadium Court began at noon local time with Aleksandar Kovacevic against Matteo Berrettini, followed by Zhang Zhizhen against Tomas Machac.
The evening Stadium Court block was scheduled no earlier than 6 p.m., beginning with Wu Yibing against Michael Zheng and followed by Arthur Fery against Marin Cilic.
Grandstand 2 featured Arthur Gea vs. Jaime Faria, Yannick Hanfmann vs. Kamil Majchrzak, Mattia Bellucci vs. Zhou Yi and Holger Rune vs. Daniel Altmaier. Other first-round matches were spread across Show Court 3 and Court 4.
Shanghai Masters prize money and ranking points
The 2026 tournament lists total prize money of $9,415,725. The official event guide publishes the following singles rewards at the top end of the draw:
| Result | Prize money | ATP points |
|---|---|---|
| Champion | $1,151,380 | 1,000 |
| Finalist | $612,340 | 650 |
| Semifinalist | $340,190 | 400 |
| Quarterfinalist | $193,645 | 200 |
Those figures help explain why Shanghai is one of the most important events in the post-US Open portion of the ATP calendar: the winner earns the full 1,000 points available at Masters level as well as a seven-figure prize.
Why the early rounds matter
Shanghai uses a large Masters draw, so the opening days contain a high volume of matches across multiple courts. Top seeds receive byes, which means many headline players enter later than Day 1. For fans buying tickets or following a specific player, the daily order of play matters more than a general tournament date because the field is distributed across Stadium Court, Grandstand 2 and outside courts.
What time are Shanghai Masters matches?
The tournament publishes times in China Standard Time. Shanghai is UTC+8. For viewers in other regions, that means a noon start in Shanghai is 4 a.m. UTC. Because local daylight-saving rules differ by country, viewers should convert from Shanghai time for their specific location rather than relying on a static list throughout the tournament.
How to follow the official schedule
The safest way to track changes is the Rolex Shanghai Masters official schedule page, which updates the daily order of play. Draw changes, withdrawals, lucky-loser substitutions and weather or operational delays can affect the sequence after an article is published.
AVARIXO will treat the official tournament schedule as the live source rather than guessing match times from earlier draw projections.
Players to watch in the opening round
Several recognizable names were scheduled on the first day. Matteo Berrettini and Marin Cilic bring major-event experience, while Holger Rune enters as one of the most closely watched players in the early slate. Chinese fans also have multiple home players to follow, including Zhang Zhizhen, Wu Yibing and Zhou Yi.
FAQ
When does the 2026 Shanghai Masters start?
Qualifying began October 5. The main draw began Wednesday, October 7.
When does the Shanghai Masters end?
The tournament’s official event window runs through Sunday, October 18, 2026.
How much does the singles winner earn?
The official 2026 prize-money table lists $1,151,380 for the singles champion, plus 1,000 ATP ranking points.
Where is the tournament played?
At Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena in Shanghai, China.
For more schedules, scores and tournament guides, visit AVARIXO’s Sports section.
Sources and image credit
Schedule and prize-money information was checked against the official Rolex Shanghai Masters tournament guide and the official daily order of play. Featured image: Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena by Curt Smith, used under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
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