Shanghai Masters: Qualifier Sakamoto stuns Rublev 6-4, 6-4 in second round
Synopsis
World No. 137 Rei Sakamoto — a qualifier — walked onto Court 3 in Shanghai and dismantled 2023 finalist Andrey Rublev in straight sets in just over 80 minutes. Breaking serve twice and saving every break point he faced, the young Japanese has set up a third-round date with an injury-clouded Alex de Minaur. One of the cleaner upsets of the ATP Masters season so far.
Key Takeaways
Rei Sakamoto (World No.
137 ) beat Andrey Rublev (World No.
23 ) 6-4, 6-4 in the Shanghai Masters second round on 9 October 2026 .
The match lasted just 1 hour and 22 minutes ; Sakamoto broke serve twice and saved all 2 break points he faced.
Sakamoto won 77% of first-serve points and 62% of second-serve points.
Rublev is a 2023 Shanghai finalist who lost the title match to Hubert Hurkacz ; he has only one title this season (Nordea Open).
Sakamoto next faces Alex de Minaur , who is managing a left thigh injury after retiring from the China Open final.
Hubert Hurkacz is set to face Novak Djokovic in the round of 64 after defeating James Duckworth .
Japanese qualifier Rei Sakamoto produced one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 Shanghai Masters on Friday, 9 October, defeating former finalist Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-4 on Court 3 to advance to the round of 32. The win took just 1 hour and 22 minutes, with the World No. 137 comprehensively outplaying the World No. 23 in straight sets.
How Sakamoto Won
Sakamoto set the tone immediately, breaking Rublev in the very first game of the match. He then held all his subsequent service games to close out the opening set in 35 minutes. The second set was tighter, with both players holding until 4-4, before Sakamoto broke again to lead 5-4 and served out the match, wrapping up the second set in 46 minutes.
Crucially, Sakamoto broke Rublev twice across the contest while saving both break points he faced — a near-flawless defensive record on serve. He won 77% of his first-serve points and 62% of his second-serve points. Rublev, by comparison, managed 76% on first serves but only 56% on second serves — a vulnerability Sakamoto exploited effectively.
Rublev's Shanghai Record and Recent Form
The defeat stings for Rublev, who reached the Shanghai Masters final in 2023, only to lose the title clash to Hubert Hurkacz. This year, he advanced no further than the round of 32 in the 2024 edition. Rublev has managed just one tour-level title in the current season — the Nordea Open — and his overall tally stands at 18 tour-level titles. A Shanghai crown has so far eluded him entirely.
What's Next for Sakamoto
The young Japanese will face Alex de Minaur of Australia in the third round. De Minaur progressed via a walkover after Alex Molcan withdrew in the round of 64. Notably, De Minaur recently retired from the China Open final against Novak Djokovic due to a left thigh injury, raising questions about his fitness heading into the clash with Sakamoto.
Elsewhere in the Draw
Hubert Hurkacz — the man who denied Rublev the Shanghai title in 2023 — moved through his round-of-128 match, defeating James Duckworth. The Polish player will next face Novak Djokovic in the round of 64, a rematch that carries its own subplot given Djokovic's recent China Open final appearance.
Point of View
Not a fluke. Rublev, meanwhile, looks increasingly like a player searching for consistency: one title from what has been a long season, and an early exit from a tournament he once reached the final of. The real intrigue now is whether De Minaur, carrying a thigh injury, can handle a qualifier riding genuine momentum — or whether Sakamoto pushes even deeper into the draw.
NationPress
9 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Rei Sakamoto and how did he reach the Shanghai Masters?
Rei Sakamoto is a Japanese tennis player ranked World No. 137 who entered the Shanghai Masters as a qualifier. He advanced to the second round before defeating former finalist Andrey Rublev on 9 October 2026.
What was the scoreline in the Sakamoto vs Rublev match?
Sakamoto defeated Rublev 6-4, 6-4 in straight sets. The match lasted 1 hour and 22 minutes, with Sakamoto breaking serve twice and conceding no break points.
Who does Sakamoto play next at the Shanghai Masters?
Sakamoto will face Australian Alex de Minaur in the third round. De Minaur advanced via a walkover after Alex Molcan's withdrawal but is managing a left thigh injury sustained at the China Open.
What is Andrey Rublev's history at the Shanghai Masters?
Rublev reached the Shanghai Masters final in 2023 but lost to Hubert Hurkacz. In 2024 he was eliminated in the round of 32, and his 2026 campaign has now ended in the second round with a loss to qualifier Sakamoto.
What are the other notable results at the 2026 Shanghai Masters so far?
Hubert Hurkacz defeated James Duckworth and is set to play Novak Djokovic in the round of 64. Djokovic recently featured in the China Open final, where De Minaur retired with a left thigh injury.
