Arthur Fery struggled physically during his three-set loss in Tokyo last week, and his limited experience in this part of the world could be another concern.
Marin Cilic, meanwhile, knows these Asian conditions well after years of experience on the tour and comes into this match fresh after a solid period of rest. That combination of experience and freshness should give the Croatian the edge.
Cilic Targets A Winning Return To Shanghai
- Fery has a 1–1 record in opening-round matches at Masters events.
- He has won 11 of his last 12 matches against players outside the Top 50.
- Marin Cilic has a 4–8 record in opening-round matches in Shanghai.
- He has an 8–11 record against Top 50 players in 2026.
HTH
This will be their first meeting.
Fery Looks To Build On His Breakthrough Season
Arthur Fery has suffered back-to-back disappointing opening-round defeats recently, losing to Lorenzo Musetti at the US Open and Jamie Faria in Tokyo last week. He took a set in both of those matches.
The Brit showcased his ability during the grass swing by reaching the quarterfinals at Queen’s Club before going on to reach the semifinals at Wimbledon. He also proved those runs were not a fluke by reaching another final in Winston-Salem. These results helped him break into the top 40 in the rankings.
He is now looking to rebuild that momentum after his recent setbacks. He is currently on a three-match losing streak and has not won a match since his final run in Winston-Salem.
This is only his third main-draw appearance at a Masters event. He previously reached the second round in Cincinnati and lost in the first round in Miami, with both appearances coming in 2026.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | Great Britain |
| Age | Born 12 July 2002 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | No. 36 |
| Career High | No. 33 (31 August 2026) |
| Elo Ranking | No. 41 |
| Tour-Level Titles | 0 |
Cilic Seeks A Winning Start In Shanghai
Marin Cilic returns to action for his first match since Cincinnati. Due to recurring knee issues, he skipped the US Open and took nearly a two-month break before returning this week.
The Croatian started the season with some solid results, reaching the semifinals in Dallas and the third rounds at the Australian Open and Miami. Those results helped him return to the top 50 in the rankings.
However, his level has dropped since the start of the clay season, while he has also dealt with recurring physical issues recently. He has lost five of his last six matches on tour.
He has played here 12 times before at the Shanghai Masters and cleared the opening round only four times, most recently last year when he reached the second round. His best result here came in 2017, when he reached the semifinals.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | Croatia |
| Age | Born 28 September 1988 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | No. 78 |
| Career High | No. 3 (29 January 2018) |
| Elo Ranking | No. 59 |
| Tour-Level Titles | 21 |