New Delhi, Oct 6 (IANS) Ben Shelton returns to singles action at the Shanghai Masters this week with his attention firmly fixed on the final stretch of the 2026 season and a maiden ATP Finals campaign he hopes will end very differently from his debut last year.

Shelton has not played a singles tournament since reaching the US Open final last month, where he became only the second American male player since Andy Roddick in 2006 to reach the championship match at Flushing Meadows. Alexander Zverev denied him the title, but the run significantly strengthened his position in the race for the season-ending event in Turin.

With five weeks remaining before the ATP Finals, the 23-year-old is third in the ATP Live Race To Turin and is focused not only on qualifying but also on breaking into the year-end top five for the first time.

“I think it is a massive motivation,” Shelton said to ATP Media when asked about how big of a motivator ATP Finals qualification is. “I want to be there playing in the Final Eight. I want an end-of-year Top-5 finish for the first time. I think there are a lot of things to look forward to at the end of this year, and I am just excited about the position I am in to be able to compete for something big at the end of the year. I think I am in a good position, but I feel there is still a lot of work to do.”

Shelton’s motivation is also backed by a season in which he has already collected 39 tour-level wins, just three short of his career-best tally of 42 from 2024.

He can surpass that mark in Shanghai if he reaches the semifinals. The Masters 1000 event also carries personal significance for Shelton, who made his first deep run at this level in the tournament in 2023, reaching the quarterfinals.

“I had my first big Masters breakthrough here,” Shelton said. “I had some great wins here. I think it is a special place. I think this is one of the best Masters tournaments on Tour. It is run so well. The centre court is great, and for me it has been a great tournament, and I hope to build on some of the success I’ve had here and go a step further and have some real runs here in the future.”

The American will begin his campaign against either Holger Rune or Daniel Altmaier. Rune, a former top-ranked player, is appearing in only his second tour-level event of the season after recovering from an Achilles injury.

For Shelton, Shanghai also offers another opportunity to capitalise on the momentum generated by his breakthrough in New York. He is chasing a fifth title of the season and expects a warm reception from local supporters when he steps on court.

“It is crazy,” Shelton said about the support he receives in China. “From the moment you land at the airport, it is the one country you come to, and there are fans there, screaming at the airport. It is a pretty cool feeling. I feel that we are loved and accepted here, and they do love coming to watch the tennis, and it has been really enjoyable to see the fanbase grow over the years.”

The ATP Masters 1000 tournament begins on Wednesday and concludes on October 18, with Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz occupying the top two seeding positions.

–IANS

vi/bsk/