Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori's achievements throughout their careers have earned them wild cards for the upcoming Shanghai Masters.
The penultimate Masters-1000 event of the season will take place in Shanghai. It runs from 2-13 October, and Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner are on the entry list for the tournament.
Whether Djokovic would play at the Shanghai Masters was unclear after he said he was done with events outside of Grand Slams and representing Serbia. The 37-year-old said this in response to a question about qualifying for the ATP Finals.
Djokovic also did not compete in Shanghai last year. His scheduled presence might indicate he cares more about the ATP Finals than he indicated, although the 24-time Grand Slam champion could still withdraw from the tournament.
Hopefully, the other top players in the draw are fresh and not burnt out before the tournament starts. Sinner and Alcaraz will have played at the Japan Open before the action in Shanghai starts.
Alcaraz has been vocal about the season being too long. Some pointed out that despite his complaints, he plans to play exhibition events in the off-season and another in Saudi Arabia in October. However, Alcaraz fired back at those criticisms.
Sinner is more diplomatic about the tennis calendar. While acknowledging that it is long, he said players do not have to play in all the tournaments and have a chance to plan their schedules carefully.
Although stars like Djokovic, Alcaraz, and Sinner usually deliver high-quality entertainment, it is wise for tournaments to have backup options in case those players are not at their usual level.
Wild cards give tournaments a chance to add additional top players to generate further interest among fans. The Shanghai Masters tournament directors have done that by giving wild cards to a pair of former Grand Slam runner-ups.
Wawrinka is a three-time Grand Slam champion. He was the most successful player outside Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray when those four players were at their peaks.
The Swiss is now 39 years old but continues to compete and fight on the ATP Tour. Although he has struggled for victories throughout most of 2024, there have still been flashes of his past brilliance.
Wawrinka also received a wild card for this year's US Open, a Grand Slam he won in 2016. The regularity with which he is given wild cards shows how much love and respect still exists for the three-time major winner.
Nishikori's career looked like it may be over after over two years out with a severe hip injury. He briefly attempted a comeback during the 2023 North American hardcourt season but was swiftly sidelined again.
However, Nishikori returned again at this year's French Open and has played multiple tournaments without a significant setback for the first time in nearly three years. His level in the last few months has been impressive.
The 2014 US Open runner-up reached the quarterfinal of the Canadian Open last month. He is scheduled to play Marin Cilic at the upcoming Japan Open, a repeat of the 2014 US Open final.
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