Denis Shapovalov has withdrawn from the Shanghai Masters after an injury sustained at the Japan Open forced him to retire from his quarterfinal match in Tokyo. The Richmond Hill native retired while trailing No. 1 seed Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(3), 2-1 on October 4.
Why Shapovalov had to withdraw
Shapovalov's medical team determined the injury was serious enough to prevent him from competing at Shanghai. In a statement posted to social media, the Canadian said he and his team evaluated the injury and decided withdrawal was necessary, expressing hope to return to competition soon.
What happened at the Japan Open
Shapovalov had converted three of four break-point chances and saved four of Alcaraz's seven break opportunities before retiring. He had advanced to the quarterfinals with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Chile's Alejandro Tabilo in the previous round.
Canadian representation at Shanghai
Shapovalov's withdrawal leaves Félix Auger-Aliassime as Canada's sole representative in the ATP 1000 event at Shanghai. Liam Draxl, another Canadian, fell in qualifying earlier the same morning, losing 7-5, 5-7, 4-6 to Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili.
Sources
- CBC: Canada's Shapovalov retires from Japan Open quarterfinal vs. Alcaraz due to injury. Published October 4, 2026.
- La Presse: Tournoi de Shanghai — Blessé, Denis Shapovalov se retire. Published October 6, 2026.
Reported from public sources.