Berrettini wins his debut in Shanghai, now faces Nakashima.

Matteo Berrettini advanced to the second round of the Shanghai Masters 1000, coming from behind to defeat American Aleksandar Kovacevic with a score of 6-7(3), 6-1, 6-4. The match, lasting two hours and fifteen minutes, saw the Italian world number 46 bounce back after losing the first set in a tie-break. He dominated the second set and controlled the third with authority, serving 23 aces and winning 94% of his first-serve points in the decisive set.

In the next round, Berrettini will face another American player, Brandon Nakashima, the tournament's 16th seed. Berrettini holds a previous victory over Nakashima from the 2022 Australian Open. His compatriot Federico Cinà was not as fortunate, being eliminated in the first round by Slovak Alex Molcan in three sets (4-6, 6-1, 6-2).

Matteo Berrettini, former world number 6, is trying to climb back up the ATP rankings after years marked by physical problems. The Shanghai tournament holds special significance for him, as it was here in 2019 that he reached his first semifinal in a Masters 1000, the highest level of tournaments after the four Grand Slams. The 2026 season has been a mixed one for the Italian, who before this victory had only collected seven wins at this level, with a single appearance in the round of 16 at Monte Carlo.

The Italian tennis movement, after a period of great success driven by Jannik Sinner (currently sidelined due to injury), is going through a transitional phase. While Sinner has ended his season early, other Italian players like Lorenzo Musetti and Jasmine Paolini are facing difficulties. Berrettini's victory in Shanghai therefore represents a positive signal in a generally more complicated context, where "Sinner-mania" had driven public interest, as evidenced by the recent drop in ticket demand for the ATP Finals in Turin in his absence.