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SHANGHAI: World No. 3 Alexander Zverev was knocked out of the Shanghai Masters by France’s Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 on Monday, leaving Novak Djokovic as the tournament’s top-ranked player.

In stifling conditions, the 54th-ranked Frenchman came back from a set down to stun an increasingly rattled Zverev into submission.

The German had injured his big toe toward the end of his last match in Shanghai but on Monday seemed to show no sign of discomfort as he broke Rinderknech in the third game with a forehand.

He nearly went ahead early in the second set, but Rinderknech recovered his cool, piling on the pressure in the fourth game to eventually break.

“I’m not very sure (how I managed to turn the game around),” he said.

“I fought like hell, tried everything. (Zverev) is such a good player ... I knew it was going to be a battle.

“Starting in the second set ... I was able to be offensive at the right moment, in a smarter way,” he said.

Keeping up the momentum, in the third set the 30-year-old broke in the third game.

Zverev had to pause to change his shoes because sweat was pouring out of them, as spectators wafted fans and wore cool packs on their foreheads to counter the suffocating humidity.

But switching footwear was not enough to save the German, and a double fault in the seventh game led to Rinderknech breaking again.

Holding with an ace to win, the Frenchman lolled his body in delighted disbelief, then danced around the court in glee.

Zverev’s exit means world No. 5 Djokovic, who is aiming for a record-extending fifth title in the Chinese financial hub, now leads rankings-wise as the tournament heads into the last 16.

On Sunday the competition lost both defending champion Jannik Sinner, who was forced to retire with extreme leg cramps, and 4th-ranked Taylor Fritz.

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz withdrew at the last minute to rest.

Alex de Minaur is the next highest seed after Djokovic was through to the fourth round, comfortably getting past Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak 6-1, 7-5.

“I came into this week knowing how tough the conditions were going to be,” the world number seven said.

“So the mindset ultimately is surviving, finding ways, and getting ready for battles every time you step out on the court.”

The Australian will next meet Portugal’s Nuno Borges, who put an end to the hopes of home favorite Shang Juncheng 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-3.

DUBAI: Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, will open the FIA Asia Pacific Congress in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Wednesday by spotlighting the region’s growing impact on motor sport and mobility.

The congress, hosted by the Royal Automobile Association of Thailand, brings together motorsport and automotive mobility leaders from across Asia and the Pacific to discuss key initiatives in road safety, sustainable mobility, regional sporting growth, and innovation in transport.

Speaking ahead of the congress, Ben Sulayem said: “I am delighted to be joining our members and partners in Chiang Mai for the FIA Asia Pacific Congress, and I look forward to building on the region’s impressive progress in both mobility and sport.

“Asia and the Pacific are among the fastest growing areas of our federation, and the commitment shown by our members here is driving real impact, from safer roads and sustainable transport to new opportunities for grassroots and elite competition.

“This gathering is an important opportunity to strengthen collaboration across the region, share expertise in mobility and motorsport, and advance our shared priorities of safety, sustainability and innovation.”

The theme of this year’s FIA Asia Pacific Congress is “Innovate. Integrate. Accelerate: Driving a sustainable future for mobility and sport,” with the program designed to equip member clubs with new strategies and insights into evolving mobility and sporting trends.

This includes a focus on sustainable practices, affordable grassroots pathways, and the evolution of artificial intelligence and its role in the FIA’s sectors.

The event comes as motorsport and mobility innovation gather pace across the region. Sri Lanka recently hosted the Asia Pacific Motorsport Championship with 18 nations and 204 competitors, while Malaysia will stage the first FIA “Arrive and Drive” Karting World Cup this November.

In 2026, Formula One returns to Australia, China, and Japan, alongside the World Rally Championship and World Endurance Championship in Japan and Formula E in Shanghai and Tokyo.

On the mobility side, the Safe Helmets for Asia Pacific Initiative recently held its first workshop in Manila, bringing together delegates from Cambodia, China, Nepal, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam to chart new roadmaps for safer helmets.