Style Edit: Rolex Shanghai Masters is back – Asia’s only ATP Masters tournament returns after 4 years with tennis superstars Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune on the court in China

Sep 28 , 2023

The Rolex Shanghai Masters tournament is set to return to the professional tennis calendar this October, with the event taking place at the Qizhong Stadium in Shanghai. Photo: Rolex

A sport that demands endless refinements of technical excellence, as competitors push themselves to the limit to exploit split-second advantages in the pursuit of perfection: you can see exactly what Rolex appreciates about the high performance world of professional tennis.

In fact, the world’s most famous Swiss luxury watch brand has long been a dedicated partner and supporter of the world’s most stylish sport, an association that began when Rolex first sponsored Britain’s Wimbledon Championships back in 1978. Since then, it has continually deepened its ties, partnering with all four of the premier grand slam events and signing up an expansive roster of top-tier tennis talents as its Rolex testimonees.

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American pro Taylor Fritz in action at the Rolex Shanghai Masters 2018 at Shanghai’s Qizhong Tennis Centre. Photo: Rolex

Those ties run especially deep in China. The brand signed on as the title sponsor of the prestigious Shanghai Masters the year after the event was born in 2009, and it has continued to be the principal commercial partner of the tournament ever since. A new chapter of that rich association is set to be written in October, when the event makes its return after four years away.

Dominic Thiem serves to Matteo Berrettini during his men’s singles quarter final match at the Rolex Shanghai Masters in 2019. Photo: Rolex

Asia’s most important tennis tournament, the Rolex Shanghai Masters is the only Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Masters 1000 championship to take place outside Europe or North America. With just nine events a season, the ATP Masters 1000 represents the second-highest echelon of men’s professional tennis, after the grand slams and the season-ending ATP Finals.

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Dominic Thiem shapes a return during a 2nd round men’s singles match against Matthew Ebden at the 2019 Rolex Shanghai Masters. Photo: Rolex

This year the event has been expanded to 12 days, from October 4 to 15, so it can accommodate an expanded 96-man singles draw. That draw features a number of Rolex testimonees, such as world number one Carlos Alcaraz – already a double grand slam winner at the age of just 20 – as well as Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune.

Carlos Alcaraz, shown wearing an Oyster Perpetual 41, is one of the sport’s rising stars. Photo: Rolex

The Masters takes place at a suitably spectacular venue: the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena in southwestern Shanghai. Seating almost 14,000 people, the visually arresting structure is distinguished principally by its unmistakable roof, which can open or close in just eight minutes, with eight panels that together form the shape of a blooming magnolia, the city’s official flower.

The Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena is the venue for the annual Rolex Shanghai Masters. Photo: Rolex

This year’s Masters will also be graced by a special guest appearance from one of the all time giants of the game, Roger Federer, who has been named an Icon Athlete of the Shanghai Masters after winning the singles title in 2014 and 2017.

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Federer is one of the most illustrious names to be counted among the ranks of Rolex testimonees. Alongside current top names like Alcaraz, Sinner and Rune, he’s joined on the list of legendary tennis talent from the past and present by people like Li Na, Iga Świątek, Dominic Thiem, Taylor Fritz, Angelique Kerber, Chris Evert, Caroline Wozniacki and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Switzerland’s Roger Federer lifts the Rolex Shanghai Masters men’s singles trophy in 2017. Photo: Rolex

It’s all part of Rolex’s ongoing support of those who push their talent to the limit – support that was further cemented in February 2023, when the brand signed up as title sponsor of the Rolex Shanghai Masters for another 10 years.

Style Edit

As well as partnering with all 4 grand slams, Rolex sponsors the Shanghai Masters – the only Association of Tennis Professionals Masters 1000 championship hosted outside Europe or North America
Roger Federer, Li Na, Iga Świątek, Dominic Thiem, Angelique Kerber, Chris Evert, Caroline Wozniacki and Stefanos Tsitsipas are among the Swiss watchmakers’ illustrious tennis testimonies