2026 Shanghai Masters

This preview has expired.

See all our latest betting tips or suggested betting sites

Friday 9
Saturday 10
Sunday 11
Monday 12
Tuesday 13
Wednesday 14
Thursday 15
Friday 16
Saturday 17
Sunday 18
Monday 19

Alex de Minaur vs Alex Molcan ATP Shanghai Tips, Prediction & Live Stream - De Minaur under injury cloud

Andrew Hendrie

Editor

Last updated: Fri. 09 Oct. 2026 00:15

Andrew Hendrie 09 Oct. 2026

Share this article

Alex De Minaur vs Alex Molcan predictions for Friday's ATP Shanghai R2
De Minaur forced to retire in China Open final earlier this week
Molcan a tough competitor and beat de Minaur in only previous meeting
The match is scheduled to start around 7.00pm AEDT on Friday October 9

Expired

Alex de Minaur vs Alex Molcan ATP Shanghai Tips, Prediction & Live Stream

Alex de Minaur retired with a groin injury a few days ago in the China Open final and question marks linger over his fitness ahead of this Shanghai Masters second round clash with Alex Molcan on Friday.

Alex de Minaur vs Alex Molcan ATP Shanghai Tips, Prediction & Live Stream
De Minaur vs Molcan Stats & Trends
De Minaur vs Molcan Head To Head
Alex de Minaur Form Analysis
Alex Molcan Form Analysis
De Minaur vs Molcan Live Stream

De Minaur has been below his best for most of the year and just when it looked like he might be building some positive momentum, disaster struck.

The Aussie felt something wasn't right towards the end of the first set of the China Open final against Novak Djokovic on Tuesday and promptly pulled the pin.

De Minaur said he was scheduled to get scans before competing in Shanghai, but even if he gets the all clear I'm not convinced he's ready to compete - it had to be something fairly serious for the Demon to retire in a final.

Molcan is absolutely no mug either. The Slovak has been ravaged by injury problems over the last few years, but at his best, he's a top 30 talent. He has made at least the quarter-finals at two of his last three ATP events and has two top 10 wins under his belt - along with an upset of De Minaur a few years ago.

Even if De Minaur was fully fit, I don't think this would be an easy match.

So given the circumstances, I'm going to take a punt on Molcan - main play is the Slovak to cover a +4.5 start with Over 19.5 total games, with smaller stakes on the underdog to win a set and the match.

De Minaur vs Molcan Stats & Trends

De Minaur has failed to cover a -4.5 line & seen Over 19.5 games in six of his last seven best-of-three ATP matches
Molcan has a 7-2 record in opening rounds at tour-level this season
Molcan has won 1+ set in seven of his last nine matches

De Minaur vs Molcan Head To Head

Molcan leads 1-0, winning their only previous meeting on the clay of Lyon in 2022.

Year	Winner	Event	Round	Surface	Score
2022	Alex Molcan	Lyon	Semifinal	Outdoor Clay	7-6(2), 6-2

Alex de Minaur Form Analysis

2026 ATP Record: 40-19
ATP Shanghai Record: 5-4
Current Ranking: No. 9
Career-High Ranking: No. 5 (July 2026)

De Minaur has won 40+ matches for the fifth straight season, but overall, it hasn't been a great year for the Aussie.

The 27-year-old won the title in Rotterdam, finished runner-up in s-Hertogenbosch and reached the Australian Open quarter-finals, but failed to make it past the R16 of the other three slams.

After a lean period, de Minaur bounced back with a run to the China Open final last week - but his level still wasn't great.

De Minaur battled through the early rounds before benefitting from a retirement by Hubert Hurkacz in the semi-finals. The Aussie was then forced to retire himself in the final against Djokovic with a groin injury.

Shanghai hasn't been the happiest hunting ground for de Minaur - he was 2-3 at the tournament before last year's run to the quarter-finals, where he went down to Daniil Medvedev.

Alex Molcan Form Analysis

2026 ATP Record: 15-10
ATP Shanghai Record: 1-0
Current Ranking: No. 84
Career-High Ranking: No. 38 (2022)

Molcan is competing at the Shanghai Masters for the first time in his career and he made a winning start, coming from a set down to topple young Italian prospect Federico Cina 4-6 6-1 6-2.

The 28-year-old has battled his fair share of injury problems over the last few years since cracking the top 40 in 2022 - indeed, he was restricted to just three tour-level matches in 2024 and 2025.

It's been a better season in 2026 - Molcan has played 25 tour-level matches and won 15 of them, including a run to the ATP 500 Munich Open semi-finals, along with another semi in Umag and quarter-final on Kitzbuhel.

Molcan also qualified for the China Open last week in Beijing, beating Tomas Machac before falling to an in-form Karen Khachanov.

De Minaur vs Molcan Live Stream

Watch and bet on Alex de Minaur vs Alex Molcan live tennis from Shanghai.

You can watch and bet on the match live at Unibet > Tennis > ATP Shanghai with the action available to stream on desktop and mobile.

Geo-restrictions apply, you'll need a funded account or to have placed a bet in the last 24 hours to gain access. 18+ terms and conditions apply.

Verdict

Alex De Minaur v Alex Molcan

Question marks over de Minaur's fitness & his form remains subpar, so a good chance for Molcan to post a third top 10 scalp here.

Molcan +4.5 & O/19.5

Games Line & Total Games

$1.70 - 3 Units

Same Game & Race Multis

Use affiliate code BETSAU

Exciting new betting app now live. Use code BETSAU on sign-up. 18+ only. T&Cs apply. Imagine what you could be buying instead.

Bet at picklebet

Molcan

To Win A Set

$1.90 - 2 Units

Download the dabble app

with referral code BETSAU

Download the dabble app, enter referral code BETSAU to enjoy Dabble, the betting app with a difference! Bet as normal with & also be part of Australia's betting community where you can follow punters and sports stars, copy their bets, have banter with your mates & watch Sky Racing channels. 18+. T&Cs apply. What are you prepared to lose today? Set a deposit limit.

Bet at dabble

Molcan Win

H2H

$3.42 - 1 Unit

Crownbet is built for the Big Moments

use referral code BETS

The CrownBet referral code is BETS. 18+. T&Cs apply. Chances are you're about to lose.

Bet at CrownBet