Sinner's Absence Opens the Door
The 2026 China Open in Beijing is shaping up to be a fascinating contest after defending champion Jannik Sinner withdrew citing a lingering knee issue, stating that his knee is not where he needs it to be ahead of competition. The Italian has not played since lifting the Wimbledon trophy in July, skipping the entire North American hard-court swing, and Beijing will also have to wait for his return. That absence hands the top seed spot to Alexander Zverev, the newly crowned US Open champion who is still searching for his first China Open title despite being one of the most consistent performers on the ATP Tour in recent seasons. Felix Auger-Aliassime slots in as the second-highest seed and tops the bottom half of the draw, making this a compelling event even without the world's top player.
Djokovic's Historic Opportunity
The most intriguing storyline beyond Zverev's title push is Novak Djokovic's return to Beijing after an 11-year absence. The 39-year-old, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, last competed at the China Open in 2015. He arrives in search of a remarkable seventh title at this event, which would also make him the oldest champion in the tournament's history, surpassing Rafael Nadal, who won the title at age 31 back in 2017. This is only Djokovic's eighth tournament of the 2026 season and notably his first outside of Grand Slams and ATP Masters 1000 events. The field also features Daniil Medvedev, Learner Tien (a wildcard and 2025 finalist), Flavio Cobolli, Alex de Minaur, and Jakub Mensik, with the prize fund climbing to just over four million dollars. TennisDraw users will want to lock in their bracket predictions before the draw is confirmed on Monday, September 30 in Beijing.
