Tsitsipas Seeks Redemption Against Borges in Shanghai Masters

SHANGHAI, China — Two-time Grand Slam finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas will meet Portuguese No. 1 Nuno Borges in the Round of 64 at the 2025 Rolex Shanghai Masters. The match is scheduled for Saturday, with Tsitsipas looking to return to form after struggling this season.

Tsitsipas, currently ranked No. 25 in the world, has not advanced past the Round of 32 in his last five events. After winning the Dubai Tennis Championships in March, he faced a significant decline in performance. Throughout the clay court season, he reached two quarterfinals but has struggled to make deep runs since then.

“I need a strong start to settle the nerves,” Tsitsipas said. “I know I can play better and need to demonstrate that on the court.” His serve has been a significant point of concern, as he has recorded only 257 unreturned serves in 2025, a sharp decline from previous seasons.

Nuno Borges holds a ranking outside the Top-50 but has proven himself capable, having a season record of 26-27 that includes a win over Botic van de Zandschulp in the Round of 128. Despite not having a winning record throughout his career, Borges has shown potential by reaching the semifinals at the ASB Classic and performing well at other tournaments.

The two players have faced each other twice, with Tsitsipas winning both encounters on clay courts. Their head-to-head record gives Tsitsipas an edge, but Borges aims to challenge the Greek star’s consistency.

“I believe I can compete at this level,” Borges remarked. “I’m looking forward to the challenge.” The winner of Saturday’s match will face either Karen Khachanov or Juncheng Shang in the third round.

Prediction: Stefanos Tsitsipas is favored to win in three sets.