American tennis player Ben Shelton defeated Germany’s Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 7-6(6) at the Shanghai Masters on October 9 to advance to the next round of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament.
Shelton, the third seed, took the opening set 6-3 before facing a stronger challenge in the second. Altmaier kept the set on serve and forced a tie-break, where Shelton secured an 8-6 win to complete the match in straight sets.
The American’s serve proved important in the contest. He struck seven aces and won 84 per cent of points on his first serve. He also saved four of the five break points he faced, limiting Altmaier’s opportunities to gain an advantage.
Altmaier, ranked 67th at the time, won 63 per cent of points behind his first serve. However, he converted only one of five break-point opportunities, while Shelton won two of the six break points he earned.
The result reversed their previous meeting in Hamburg in May 2026, when Altmaier defeated Shelton in three sets. The German had reached the Shanghai second round after recovering from a set down to beat Holger Rune 1-6, 7-6(5), 6-4.
The Shanghai Masters is one of nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments and attracts leading players from the men’s professional circuit. The event is part of the season’s closing stretch, when players compete for ranking points ahead of the year-end championships.
Shelton’s win kept his Shanghai campaign on track, while Altmaier exited the singles draw after a competitive second set.
