Carlos Alcaraz receives massive financial penalty after Shanghai Masters withdrawal

Carlos Alcaraz's decision not to compete at the 2025 Shanghai Masters has ensured he will suffer a significant financial loss.

Alcaraz's withdrawal from the Shanghai Masters, which began on Wednesday, was a significant blow for the tournament. He managed a physical issue at the 2025 Japan Open and felt playing would be too risky.

The Spaniard won the Japan Open title by beating Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4 in the final. He refocused after being frustrated when the umpire gave him a time violation in the fourth game, leading Alcaraz to accuse the official of never having played tennis in his life.

Alcaraz has now withdrawn from three mandatory Masters 1000 tournaments in 2025: The Madrid Open, Canadian Open, and the Shanghai Masters, and the current rules mean he will now pay a price for that.

The ATP has bonus pools for Masters 1000s and the ATP Finals, and 500-level tournaments. Alcaraz has already ensured he will finish the 2025 season at the top of the ATP 500 bonus pool after winning three tournaments at that level.

However, the news for Alcaraz in the Masters 1000 and ATP Finals bonus pool is less positive. The young star's absence from three 1000-level tournaments means his bonus reward will be reduced by 75%.

Alcaraz is at the top of the bonus pool standings after winning the Monte-Carlo Masters, Italian Open, and the Cincinnati Open. The top player in the standings earns $3.8 million if they play enough tournaments.

The 22-year-old's place at the top seems pretty secure. Jannik Sinner, his biggest rival and against whom he has contested the last three Grand Slams finals, would need to win the Shanghai Masters, Paris Masters, and get more points at the ATP Finals to overtake Alcaraz.

The six-time Grand Slam champion cannot be accused of only caring about money. He and his team accepted a heavy financial loss to ensure he did not cause further physical damage by worsening his injury.

Although Sinner can still overtake Alcaraz at the top for the most Masters 1000 and ATP Finals points in 2025, it will not be much incentive for him since he has already lost his entire bonus pool fee regardless of his results.

Sinner was absent from this year's Indian Wells Open, Miami Open, and Madrid Open because of the three-month suspension the World Anti-Doping Agency gave him to end his controversial doping case.

The four-time major winner then chose not to compete at the 2025 Canadian Open. Missing a fourth Masters 1000 event this season means his entire bonus pool amount, regardless of what it would have been, has been lost.

Hopefully, Alcaraz and Sinner miss fewer 1000-level tournaments in 2025. Every event is enhanced when they compete together because of their dominance of men's tennis since the start of 2024.

Some think Sinner disrespected the doping process and the massive stir it caused by rehiring his former fitness coach, Umberto Ferrara, who was one of the key figures in his testing positive for a banned substance.