By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, October 6, 2025
Photo credit: Hannah Peters/Getty
Arthur Rinderknech delivered a dose of deja vu to Alexander Zverev in Shanghai.
World No. 54 Rinderknech saved six of seven break points toppling the third-seeded Zverev 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 at the Rolex Shanghai Masters today.
The victory comes nearly four months after Rinderknech upset Zverev 7-6(3), 6-7(8), 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-4 in the Wimbledon first round.
Winless in 13 prior meetings vs. Top 10 opponents on hard courts, Rinderknech posted his first career Top-10 win on a hard court. Rinderknech improved to 3-18 lifetime against Top-10 opponents.
“This is huge,” Rinderknech said. “I had my first Top 5 win at a Grand Slam at Wimbledon against Sascha and it happens again.
“I guess I am a bit lucky against him and able to play my best tennis. I need to play my best tennis to beat a guy like Sascha, at No. 3 for many years, such a steady player and a very good player. I am very happy.”
The victory comes a day after World No. 2 Jannik Sinner retired from his Shanghai match against Tallon Griekspoor while suffering from cramps leaving 38-year-old Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic as the highest-ranked man still standing in Shanghai.
It is the third career ATP Masters 1000 round of 16 for Rinderknech, who reached that stage in Toronto and the Paris Indoors last season.
Next up for Rinderknech is a round of 16 clash against Czech Jiri Lehecka.
The 15th-seeded Lehecka swept Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 6-4.
The winner of the Rinderknech-Lehecka match meets either eighth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti or US Open semifinalist Felix Auger-Aliassime in the Shanghai quarterfinals.
