Why is Carlos Alcaraz not playing at the 2025 Shanghai Masters?

Fresh off winning the ATP 500 title in Tokyo, where he defeated Taylor Fritz in straight sets for the 24th trophy of his career, Carlos Alcaraz announced he will not compete at the 2025 Shanghai Masters due to an ankle injury.

The Spaniard twisted his ankle during his first-round match against Sebastian Baez in Tokyo but managed to play through the pain and ultimately claim the title. Still, after consulting with his team, Alcaraz decided the best move was to step back and recover rather than risk further injury.

“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,” Alcaraz said in a video message. “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”.

The withdrawal opens the door for Jannik Sinner, who could overtake Alcaraz for the No. 1 ranking if he wins the Shanghai Masters and follows up with a strong performance in Vienna.

Carlos Alcaraz lays on the floor during the first round of the Tokyo Open. (Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)

Alcaraz breaks Djokovic, Federer record with Tokyo Open win

With his 24th career title at just 22 years old, Carlos Alcaraz has become the youngest player to hit that milestone faster than both Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer—each of whom reached 24 titles at age 23. However, the Spaniard still trails Rafael Nadal, who set the all-time pace by winning his 24th trophy at only 21 years old.

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When will Alcaraz return to action?

Unless his recovery progresses sooner than anticipated, Carlos Alcaraz is expected to make his comeback at the 6 Kings Slam exhibition in Riyadh (October 15–18). The high-profile event will also showcase Djokovic, Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

After Saudi Arabia, Alcaraz is scheduled to compete at the Paris Masters (October 27–November 2). The Spaniard will look to improve on last year’s performance, when he fell in the Round of 16 to Ugo Humbert. To date, the quarterfinals remain his best result in Paris.