Djokovic and Medvedev both exited together! Without Sinner and Alcaraz, ATP resembles the WTA.

On Saturday, the Shanghai Masters witnessed two significant shocks—Djokovic and Medvedev both fell in the semifinals within a few hours. It was astonishing that each lost to opponents ranked beyond the top 50, and notably, these two underdogs are relatives.

In the semifinals, Djokovic faced world No. 204 Vacherot, aiming for his 101st career title and to break Federer’s record as the oldest Masters champion. However, the Serbian star suffered one of the most unexpected defeats of his career, losing 3-6, 4-6, and struggled with fitness issues throughout the match.

Meanwhile, Medvedev played against French player Lindnerknecht, ranked 54th, hoping to reverse his disappointing season. He won the first set but then his form declined sharply, allowing his opponent to come back and win 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.

Fans on social media had mixed reactions—some found this final lineup refreshing, while others complained about the lack of star power in the showdown.

World No. 1 Alcaraz had previously withdrawn due to injury, and world No. 2 Sinner retired mid-match because of cramps. Both were the top favorites for the final and had claimed all four Grand Slam titles this year.

Interestingly, fans compared this ATP upset to the ongoing WTA tour—there is also a WTA1000 event this week. In stark contrast to the Shanghai men’s final, the WTA final will feature world No. 3 Gauff against world No. 6 Pegula. World No. 1 Sabalenka lost to Pegula in the semifinals, while world No. 2 Swiatek was defeated by Paolini in the quarterfinals.

One fan joked, “Without Alcaraz and Sinner, ATP basically turns into WTA.” Another wrote, “Why complain about this final? I think seeing a final without the ‘Sincaraz’ duo is quite refreshing.”

More fans responded: “Although I like the ‘Sincaraz’ pair, this final is truly refreshing and cool. The WTA remains more consistent and exciting. WTA has entered a ‘stable era’ we love to watch, while ATP, aside from Sinner and Alcaraz, has become completely unpredictable.”

Thanks to reaching the Shanghai Masters final, Lindnerknecht’s world ranking jumped to No. 28, while his cousin Vacherot surged nearly 150 places to No. 58.

On Sunday, Lindnerknecht and Vacherot will face each other in their first-ever ATP meeting. This match will not only decide who claims their maiden Masters title but also marks their first final showdown at a top ATP event.

So far, Lindnerknecht’s career prize money is about $5 million, nearly ten times that of his cousin Vacherot, who represents Monaco and has earned $594,000. The Shanghai Masters champion will receive around $1.1 million, with the runner-up earning approximately $597,000. (Source: Tennis Home, Author: Spark)