Why Federer and Alcaraz were spotted together at Shanghai Masters | Tennis | Sport
Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz raised a few eyebrows when they were spotted together during last year’s Shanghai Masters final. Though the two tennis titans never faced each other on the court, they looked chummy as they watched Jannik Sinner edge out Novak Djokovic in straight sets, 7-6, 6-3, to claim the title.
Many were surprised to see Alcaraz in attendance given that he’d been knocked out of the tournament at the quarter-final stage. Part of the reason he stayed on was his upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia to compete in the Six Kings Slam – a tournament Djokovic and Sinner were also set to attend. Another factor is the shared association Alcaraz and Federer have with luxury watch brand Rolex, the Shanghai Masters’ title sponsor, for which both men serve as ambassadors.
Last year, Federer said he owed Alcaraz an apology for rejecting the chance to have extra practice time with him when the Spaniard was a teenager. The pair once knocked up together at Wimbledon when Federer was in his pomp and while Alcaraz was a junior.
Federer was offered the chance to hit with Alcaraz again the following day, but decline. Instead, he opted to practice with the youngster’s coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero. He recalled saying: “No, it’s okay, I’d rather warm up with his coach.”
Federer claimed the Shanghai Masters title in 2017, defeating Rafael Nadal in the final. He also reached the championship match in 2010 but fell to Andy Murray.
Alcaraz, on the other hand, has yet to lift the trophy in Shanghai. He withdrew from the 2025 event due to an ankle injury, was ousted in the quarter-finals by Tomas Machac in 2024, and exited in the fourth round to Grigor Dimitrov in 2023.
The Spaniard suffered an ankle twist in the opening round of last month’s Japan Open but ignored his team’s advice to retire from the event. True to his fighting spirit, he battled through the tournament, ultimately defeating Taylor Fritz in the final to secure his eighth ATP title of the year.
However, the injury was severe enough that he was forced to withdraw from the Shanghai Open – a decision that could carry significant financial consequences. In a heartfelt Instagram statement, he wrote: In a heartfelt statement shared on Instagram, he wrote: “I’m very disappointed to announce that I won’t be able to play the Rolex Shanghai Masters this year!
“Unfortunately, I’ve been struggling with some physical issues and, after discussing with my team, we believe the best decision is to rest and recover. I was really looking forward to playing in front of the amazing fans in Shanghai again. I hope to be back soon and see my Chinese fans next year!”
This marks the third mandatory Masters 1000 tournament Alcaraz has withdrawn from in 2025. The 22-year-old had previously missed the Madrid Open and the Canadian Open, and these absences have already proven financially costly.
The ATP offers bonus pools for Masters 1000 events, the ATP Finals, and 500-level tournaments. With three victories at the 500-level this year, Alcaraz is on track to top the ATP 500 bonus pool. However, his withdrawals from three Masters 1000 events could slash his bonus by a staggering 75 per cent under ATP regulations. That said, fines and reductions can be mitigated if players take part in on-site promotional activities.
It remains unclear whether Alcaraz participated in such activities for the tournaments he missed. If he did not, he could face the full 75 per cent reduction. Having won this year’s Monte-Carlo Masters, Italian Open, and Cincinnati Open, Alcaraz currently leads the bonus pool standings. The top player can earn up to £3.3million – but only if they compete in a sufficient number of events.
