The 2025 Shanghai Masters has been giving tennis fans an exciting show with intense rallies, surprising results, and thrilling moments in both singles and doubles matches. As the competition heated up in the men’s doubles round of 16, one match really caught everyone’s eye: David Pel and Santiago Gonzalez took on the French pair Corentin Moutet and Alexandre Muller. It wasn’t just the high level of play that had people talking, but also a truly strange moment that left both the crowd and the players in disbelief.

The incident happened during the first set when Pel and Gonzalez were just ahead 5-4, and the game was tied at deuce (40-40). The Dutch-Mexican duo was in sync, working hard to finish off the set, when something unexpected happened that momentarily drew attention away from the game and up to the stands. Tennis TV shared on X that Pel went after a lobbed ball that was sent soaring into the air.

Pel had his eyes set on getting that shot back and moved quickly toward the baseline, not realizing the ball was actually going out of play. So, as the ball was coming down toward the crowd, a fan in the front row stretched out their hand, looking like they were all set to snag it as a souvenir. Not noticing the fan’s movement, Pel instinctively swung his racket to keep the rally going, almost hitting the spectator in the process.

Luckily, the individual was okay, but there was a bit of chaos when the ball flew into the stands. Pel and Gonzalez thought there was some interference, so they asked the chair umpire to take another look. The chair umpire looked at the video replay and said, “From the replay there was no hindrance by the spectator. There was a swing at the ball, so game, Moutet/Muller.”

The Shanghai Masters, known for its vibrant atmosphere, has once again given us a moment that everyone will be talking about — not because of an incredible forehand winner or a nail-biting break-point save, but due to a surprising twist that caught both players and fans off guard. But, you know, the Shanghai Masters has had its fair share of jaw-dropping moments, like some big-name players getting knocked out, injuries popping up, and athletes raising different concerns.

The Shanghai Masters is bringing the unpredictability

Really, the 2025 Shanghai Masters has been quite the rollercoaster! So, recently in the round of 32 match, Jannik Sinner had to retire while he was down 3-2 in the third set against Tallon Griekspoor. The match was at a tough spot, with both players battling for control, but Sinner’s leg just couldn’t hold up. The cramping got so bad that he just couldn’t continue, so he had to step back from the match and let Griekspoor take the win.

So, speaking of injuries, Casper Ruud had a bit of a tough time too when he played against Zizou Bergs in the Round of 64. He had to bow out of the contest while trailing 1-4 in the third set. This match was pretty close, just like Sinner’s, but the Norwegian tennis player couldn’t keep going.

Also, players like Arthur Rinderknech have shared their worries about the sweltering heat and humidity in Shanghai, mentioning, “It’s hard to breathe on the court. It’s tough right from the warm-up. There’s crazy humidity. There’s a part of the battle that has nothing to do with tennis. It’s about survival, about managing to find ways to prevail.”

But you know, all these situations are what make the competition exciting and fun for the fans to watch. The unpredictable nature of the Shanghai Masters will show us who can handle these challenges and take home the title.