Marco Trungelliti vs Rei Sakamoto Preview & Prediction | 2026 Shanghai Masters | First Round

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Marco Trungelliti takes on Rei Sakamoto in Shanghai. 

Ranking points: ATP 1000

Start date/time: 7 October 2026 at 4:00 am

Venue: Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, Shanghai, China

Surface: Outdoor hard

How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports Tennis / USA – Tennis Channel

How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / USA – Tennis Channel

Tickets: Visit this link for the latest Marco Trungelliti vs Rei Sakamoto ticket information

Marco Trungelliti vs Rei Sakamoto prediction

Marco Trungelliti enters the main draw of the Shanghai Masters as a lucky loser. He lost in the final stage of qualifying to Alex Molcan. The 36-year-old entered the top 100 of the world rankings for the first time this year, while also advancing to his maiden tour-level final at the Grand Prix Hassan II. He lost in the final to Spanish youngster Rafael Jodar. 

He will face Rei Sakamoto in the first-round. The 20-year-old did qualify for the tournament after a close three set win over Kyrian Jacquet. Sakamoto is ranked outside the world’s top 130, with just the one tour-level victory at the Miami Open in March. The Japanese player has been very competitive on the Challenger Tour, but he is yet to progress to a final in 2026.

Trungelliti leads the head-to-head 1-0 after a qualifying victory over Sakamoto in Marrakesh, as he began his remarkable run to the final. His game is less effective on hard courts, and Sakamoto will view this as a strong chance to pick up a win on the ATP Tour.

Marco Trungelliti vs Rei Sakamoto tip: Rei Sakamoto to win