By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday October 6, 2023
Holger Rune managed only two games against Brandon Nakashima, while Felix Auger-Aliassime's struggles continued in Shanghai.
Photo Source: Matthew Calvis
Tough times for Holger Rune continue.
The fifth-ranked Dane is finding wins hard to come by at this stage of the season, and he was bounced rudely from the Shanghai draw on Friday, falling 6-0, 6-2 to Brandon Nakashima in second-round action.
Make it seven losses in eight matches for the talented Dane, who has struggled with a back injury in recent months. At 8th in the Race to Turin standings, Rune could find himself on the outside looking in at the end of this week – Casper Ruud and Taylor Fritz have a chance to catch him.
Rune was making his Shanghai debut, but won only 24 of 54 service points against the World No.122 from California. He was broken five times on 14 opportunities and failed to convert his only attempt against Nakashima.
FAA Crashes Out Early Again
A dismal period for Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime continues, as the 23-year-old fell to Marton Fucsovics in three sets, 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-3. The Montreal native, seeded 14, drops to 15-17 overall on the season – a far cry from his 60-27 ledger in 2022.
Alexander Zverev, the No.9 seed, also dropped out. The German was toppled by Russia’s Roman Safiullin, 6-3, 6-1 in a lopsided affair.
Ruud, Hurkacz, Shelton Move Through
It wasn’t all bad for seeded players on Friday at the Shanghai Masters. Casper Ruud, the No.8 seed, rocked past Yoshihito Nishioka, 7-5, 6-0, while 16th-seeded Hubert Hurkacz powered past Thanasi Kokkinakis, 7-6(5), 6-4. Americans Ben Shelton, seeded 19, and Sebastian Korda, seeded 26, also moved through.