The Shanghai Masters became a Masters 1000 in 2009, built on the city's earlier run as host of the year-end Tennis Masters Cup. When the ATP reworked its October calendar, Shanghai inherited the slot and staged it on outdoor hard — the only event at the level held anywhere in Asia. It anchors the autumn swing, bridging the Asian-circuit stops like the China Open and the indoor European fortnight that closes at the Paris Masters, on the same outdoor-hard surface family that frames the American summer through Cincinnati and the US Open.
What sets Shanghai apart is scale and stage. The tournament expanded to a 96-draw, 12-day format, putting it in the company of the season's largest Masters events and giving the autumn calendar its one true big-court showcase east of Europe. The Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena — with its retractable "magnolia" roof — gives the event a distinct identity, and a deep Shanghai run is often the last meaningful chance to settle the season-ending race before the indoor stretch.
The roll of recent champions tracks the sport's shifting hierarchy. Jannik Sinner took the 2024 title past Novak Djokovic, edging a first-set tiebreak before closing it out 6-3. The 2025 edition produced one of the era's most improbable runs: Valentin Vacherot, then deep outside the top 100, beat Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in an all-French, all-qualifier-region final that had no precedent at the level. Hubert Hurkacz had taken the 2023 crown over Andrey Rublev across three sets.
As of mid-2026, Vacherot enters as the defending champion, with the title at stake again over the October 7–18 fortnight — the tour's only Masters 1000 trophy contested on Asian soil.