Matteo Berrettini Powers Into Shanghai Second Round With Dominant Serve

Matteo Berrettini is through to the second round of the Shanghai Masters after a commanding three-set victory. The Italian will now face a tough test against 16th seed Brandon Nakashima on Friday, October 9, 2026.

Berrettini opened his tournament with a hard-fought 6-7(3), 6-1, 6-4 win over Aleksandar Kovacevic. He was simply untouchable on serve. The former world No. 6 fired 23 aces and, remarkably, did not face a single break point in the entire match. He won a staggering 91% of points behind his first serve, a statistic that will give him immense confidence as the tournament progresses. This performance sets up a second-round clash with an in-form opponent.

His next challenge is American Brandon Nakashima, the tournament's 16th seed. Nakashima received a first-round bye and will be playing his opening match. He has enjoyed a strong 2026 season. But he arrives in Shanghai looking to rebound from a third-round loss in Tokyo last week. Berrettini leads their head-to-head 1-0, having won their only prior meeting in the first round of the 2022 Australian Open. The Italian's current serving form could be the key to unlocking this seeded opponent.

Speaking after his first-round win, Berrettini was asked about the news that world No. 1 Jannik Sinner had ended his 2026 season early due to injury. Drawing from his own extensive injury struggles, Berrettini offered a heartfelt perspective. "I didn't expect it," he admitted. "I know what it's like to be injured. I would never ask him what he has, or how long it's going to take, because I know how tough it is mentally."

He revealed he had already reached out to his compatriot with a message of support. "I texted him that I was waiting for him, that everybody was waiting for him," Berrettini said. "Unfortunately this year, we lost the best player in the world." Despite the setback for Italian tennis, Berrettini remained positive about Sinner's eventual return.

• Berrettini advanced to the Shanghai Masters second round with a 6-7(3), 6-1, 6-4 win over Kovacevic on October 9, 2026.
• He served 23 aces and won 91% of his first-serve points without facing a break point.
• His next opponent is 16th seed Brandon Nakashima, whom he leads 1-0 in their head-to-head record.
• Berrettini sent a supportive text to injured compatriot Jannik Sinner, expressing solidarity from his own experience with injuries.