Francisco Cerundolo helped Team World take its first step towards a third consecutive Laver Cup title on Friday afternoon. Team Europe's Stefanos Tsitsipas then promptly issued a swift reminder of the challenge facing the Argentine and his teammates this weekend in Berlin.
The No. 31 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Cerundolo upset Casper Ruud in the opening match of the 2024 edition of the teams event. He triumphed 6-4, 6-4 after 97 minutes to take a 4-3 lead in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with the World No. 9.
“I’m super happy. I had the responsibility to go there and play the first match. I knew it was going to be tough,” said Cerundolo in his post-match press conference. “Casper is a great player. We played many times, so I knew how he was going to play, and I think I did a really good job from the beginning to the end.
“I was really there, focused, and super happy to get my second win in Laver Cup and first this year.”
Cerundolo outhit Ruud by 16 winners to 11 to avenge his recent defeat to the Norwegian at the Paris Olympics. The Argentine adjusted more quickly to the indoor conditions at Uber Arena than Ruud, who struggled with the consistency of his groundstrokes, to give Team World and its captain John McEnroe the perfect start in Berlin.
“We have seen it a couple of times, where it can come down on the last day to a point or two, so every point is very important,” said Team World Vice-captain Patrick McEnroe. “Especially, I think, the first match, it's good to get some momentum.”
If Team Europe captain Bjorn Borg was after a fast response, he certainly got one from Tsitsipas. The Greek raced to a 6-1, 6-4 win against Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second match of the afternoon session.
Tsitsipas set the tone on the opening point of the match, when he pushed Kokkinakis wide with an arrowed backhand before moving in to put away an emphatic volley. The World No. 12 barely looked back from there, and completed his win having broken his Australian opponent’s serve three times in his 81-minute win.
Looking sharp 💪@steftsitsipas gets the point for Team Europe with a 6-1 6-4 triumph over Kokkinakis.@LaverCup | #LaverCup pic.twitter.com/obPaeZAv72
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 20, 2024
With one point on offer for each win on Day 1, that left the score between Team Europe and Team World at 1-1 heading into Friday evening’s session, when Grigor Dimitrov will take on Alejandro Tabilo, before home favourite Alexander Zverev and Laver Cup debutant Carlos Alcaraz meet Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton in the opening doubles clash of the weekend.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
Third seed Nicolas Jarry battled past Lukas Klein 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4 on Friday to advance to the quarter-finals at the Chengdu Open.
The No. 28 in the PIF ATP Rankings struck 19 aces en route to snapping his seven-match losing streak since he defeated Tommy Paul in Rome. Jarry also saved five of Klein’s seven break points to close out the match in two hours, 18 minutes.
“I played very well that last game, put him under some pressure and didn’t give him any room,” Jarry said after the match. “The game before was very tight, he played some unbelievable returns and I just stuck there right in the present, very strong.
“Hopefully I can continue on my path the best way possible.”
Jarry will next face qualifier Alibek Kachmazov, who reached his first ATP Tour quarter-final by defeating Taro Daniel 7-6(1), 6-1.
The No. 252 in the PIF ATP Rankings was clinical as he converted all four of his break point chances, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to record the biggest victory of his career.
[ATP APP]Yannick Hanfmann overcame seventh seed Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to advance to the quarter-finals at the Chengdu Open.
In the pair’s first meeting, the 32-year-old won 79 per cent (37/47) of his first-serve points. The German also struck 26 winners to seal victory over the 21-year-old in one hour, 49 minutes.
Nicely done ☑️
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 20, 2024
Hanfmann reaches his 17th ATP Tour QF after battling past Mpetshi Perricard 6-4 3-6 6-3!@ChengduOpen | #ChengduOpen pic.twitter.com/CKZZWT1qnW
"You have to be patient, that was the key to the match,” Hanfmann said in his post-match interview. "You’re not going to get a lot of chances to break him, he’s an amazing server.
"But I thought I had great patience, and I used the chances when I had them, so I’m very happy with this performance."
The No. 95 in the PIF ATP Rankings progressed to his second career quarter-final on hard courts (Antwerp 2023).
He will next face Pedro Martinez, who defeated Aleksandar Vukic 6-3, 6-4. The fourth seed improved to 2-0 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
Martinez hit eight aces and 16 unforced errors against Vukic, who saved eight break points. The Spaniard also hit 21 winners to seal the match in one hour, 24 minutes.
The No. 42 in the PIF ATP Rankings progressed to his fourth career quarter-final on hard courts (2021 Moscow, 2022 Tokyo, 2023 Pune).
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Fourth seed Brandon Nakashima saved two match points to overcome #NextGenATP star Coleman Wong 6-7(7), 7-6(4), 6-1 on Friday and advance to the quarter-finals at the Hangzhou Open.
Nakashima, who is at a career high No. 39 in the PIF ATP Rankings, held his nerve to save two match points as he served at 6-5 down in the second set. The American struck 39 winners to defeat the 20-year-old in two hours, 40 minutes.
The former Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF winner has maintained his momentum in the recent months, posting an 11-4 record since August, including a fourth-round run at the US Open. At Flushing Meadows he defeated Lorenzo Musetti and Holger Rune as he equalled his best run at a Grand Slam.
Nakashima advanced to his 14th ATP Tour quarter-final where he will face Australian Rinky Hijikata, who progressed after Fabian Marozsan withdrew due to sickness.
[ATP APP]Mikhail Kukushkin rolled back the years as he defeated Alexander Shevchenko 6-4, 7-6(3) in an all-Kazakhstani battle.
The 36-year-old converted three of his five break point chances as he reached his first ATP Tour quarter-final in four years (Nur-Sultan 2020).
Kukushkin broke a six-year title drought on the ATP Challenger Tour earlier this year, capturing titles in Manama and Tenerife. The former No. 39 in the PIF ATP Rankings will face Buyunchaokete next.
Buyunchaokete upset second seed Karen Khachanov 7-6 (7), 4-6, 6-3 to reach his first ATP Tour quarter-final. He also became the sixth Chinese player to reach a tour-level quarter-final in Open Era.
The No. 124 in the PIF ATP Rankings hit 13 aces and saved three break points in the pair’s first meeting. The home favorite secured victory in two hours, 27 minutes.
“I feel really comfortable. All my friends and my people who (are) close to me, were in here (to) support me, also my coach, my team. So, of course, I feel really comfortable. I love (it) here. I know the surface, everything here. So, I love this feeling,” he said after the match.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
The Laver Cup and the ATP have today announced a five-year extension to their existing certification agreement, which began with Laver Cup 2019, and both renews and enhances their partnership.
This extension comes as the Laver Cup enters its seventh edition today at Uber Arena in Berlin, marking a significant milestone for the event as it continues to bring together tennis superstars from the past, present and future in a thrilling team competition and a unique celebration of the sport.
The Laver Cup, where top players from Europe take on their counterparts from the rest of the world, will continue to benefit from the ATP’s global reach, marketing services — including press and social media — and operational support, including officials and physios.
"We are delighted to continue our partnership with the ATP," said Tony Godsick, Laver Cup Chairman and CEO of TEAM8.
"Their recognition validates the Laver Cup vision, which is to bring together the world’s top players – rivals year-round – as teammates, to celebrate and honour the legendary Rod Laver and his compatriots, while growing interest in this wonderful sport at new destinations around the world."
“The Laver Cup has quickly established itself as a unique highlight of our season,” added ATP Chairman, Andrea Gaudenzi. “The passionate reception it receives from both the players and fans at every city it visits speaks volumes and we truly value the great potential Laver Cup has to attract new fans around the globe. We are delighted to be supporting its continued growth.”
Roger Federer, a driving force behind the creation of the Laver Cup, shared his enthusiasm about the future of the event.
"I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built with the Laver Cup,” said Federer. “Becoming recognised as part of the ATP Tour five years ago was an important milestone. It’s been fantastic to see the way players, partners and fans around the globe have embraced Laver Cup. I’m excited for its future.”
[ATP APP]This year marks the final appearance of legendary Laver Cup captains and former rivals Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, who have served as Team Europe and Team World captains, respectively, since the tournament’s inaugural year in 2017.
“The Laver Cup has been a huge success, and I’ve been honoured to be part of it from the beginning,” said Borg as he reflected on his involvement with the event.
“The values this event stands for—commitment to excellence, a focus on the team, respect for the opponent, and a love for the game—are things we see time and again throughout the competition. It’s been a privilege to lead such a talented group of players in this iconic competition.”
“What the Laver Cup has achieved in just a few years is incredible,” McEnroe added. “This event captures the essence of what tennis is all about: competition, passion, innovation and sportsmanship. I’ve enjoyed every moment as captain of Team World, and I can’t wait to see how the Laver Cup continues to inspire players and fans alike in the future.”
Since its inception in 2017, the Laver Cup has rapidly established itself as one of the most anticipated events on the tennis calendar. The five-year extension of this agreement between the Laver Cup and the ATP underscores the event's success and its ability to contribute to tennis’ growth globally.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
The 2024 Laver Cup gets underway on Friday 20 September in Berlin, Germany, where John McEnroe’s Team World will begin its Laver Cup defence against Bjorn Borg’s Team Europe.
There are plenty of interesting matches from the start. The first match begins at 1 p.m. with World No. 9 Casper Ruud facing Francisco Cerundolo.
[ATP APP]
Fans will be able to watch four-time major champion Carlos Alcaraz compete alongside Alexander Zverev in the doubles action. The two will face the American duo of Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz, concluding Friday’s order of play.
ORDER OF PLAY – Friday
UBER ARENA
Matches start at 1 p.m.
Casper Ruud (Team Europe) vs Francisco Cerundolo (Team World)
followed by
Stefanos Tsitsipas (Team Europe) vs Thanasi Kokkinakis (Team World)
7 p.m.
Grigor Dimitrov (Team Europe) vs Alejandro Tabilo (Team World)
followed by
Carlos Alcaraz (Team Europe), Alexander Zverev (Team Europe) vs Taylor Fritz (Team World), Ben Shelton (Team World)
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
For the seventh and final time, legends Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe will face off as captains of Team Europe and Team World, respectively, at the Laver Cup in Berlin. The event, which begins Friday, marks the end of an era.
The Laver Cup, founded in 2017 by former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings Roger Federer, has seen Borg lead Team Europe and McEnroe Team World since the event’s inception.
“For me it’s very much a bittersweet week with Bjorn and John because I would love them to be captains forever,” Federer said. “At the same time, we’ve got to move with the times, I guess.”
Despite the end of their captaincies, Federer expressed deep gratitude for their contributions to the tournament.
“It was supposed to be three years, four or two, and it ended up being seven,” Federer said. “It’s been seven great years. Couldn’t have had better captains, to be honest.”
The two will be replaced by Yannick Noah, who will captain Team Europe, and Andre Agassi, who will step in for Team World.
[ATP APP]“Of course, in the future I hope that Bjorn and John will return and pass on the torch… to Yannick and Andre, that they will always be friends and guests as captains of the inaugural event,” Federer said.
Team Europe won the first four editions of the Laver Cup, and Team World has triumphed in back-to-back years. John McEnroe and Team World will aim for its third straight victory over the three-day competition.
“The weather is supposed to be really beautiful,” Federer said. “Okay we’re playing indoors, but still when you go out, it’s nice. So yeah, I think coming to Berlin for the Laver Cup is very fun. Looking forward to a great week.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
What role can personality and emotion play in forging success on the tennis court? Perhaps no one is better placed to comment on the topic than John McEnroe.
The American tennis icon is banking on team spirit to lay the foundation for Team World’s 2024 Laver Cup campaign this weekend in Berlin. Up against a Team Europe lineup featuring five of the Top 10 in the PIF ATP Rankings, McEnroe nonetheless believes his Team World has what it takes to seal its third consecutive crown at the teams event.
“I believe that every Laver Cup we have played, nine of the Top 10 have been Europeans,” said McEnroe, when asked about his team’s off-court cohesion during a pre-event press conference. “So I think that team spirit that's something that has helped carry us eventually to victory and kept us really close in others. It's an excellent point.”
Not that McEnroe doesn’t have some top ATP Tour talent to send out on court at Uber Arena. His roster is led by World No. 7 Taylor Fritz, who will be competing for the first time since reaching his maiden Grand Slam final at the US Open earlier this month. Frances Tiafoe, Ben Shelton, Alejandro Tabilo, Francisco Cerundolo and Thanasi Kokkinakis complete the Team World lineup.
Fritz shied away from suggestions that he was going to be something of a ‘leader’ within his team in Berlin, but instead said each member of Team World is ready to take individual responsibility in their bid to retain the Laver Cup.
“In this competition, it's just up to each of us to do our part to get the points,” said the American. “One person can't win it. Everybody's got a job to do. [After the US Open] I had a couple of days off to relax, to just enjoy some time off after a long two weeks. Then I started to get back into it a couple days before and I have had some good practices here, getting myself ready to go for this weekend.”
𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐄𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄 𝐯𝐬 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 ✨@LaverCup | #LaverCup pic.twitter.com/bLc6xxIOhf
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 18, 2024
One man who is aiming to maintain his perfect Laver Cup record is Shelton, who made his debut in Team World’s comprehensive victory in Vancouver a year ago. The 21-year-old is used to operating in a team format, having played college tennis at the University of Florida in 2021 and 2022.
“It's a lot of fun for me,” said Shelton, when asked about returning to a team format. “Pro tennis is a lot different from college tennis. Usually everything is on your own shoulders, so it's nice to be able to rely on your teammates sometimes. Team World, we've a lot of guys that are reliable, especially Taylor Fritz. That guy is solid as a rock. Crazy. I think it's a special event for me to be a part of.
“I'm just grateful that two years straight I got to come out here and compete, because I love the team atmosphere and I love cheering on my guys and competing when I've got guys cheering for me on the sidelines.”
Some South American flair will be injected into the 2024 version of Team World by Chilean Tabilo and Argentine Cerundolo.
It will be a Laver Cup debut for Tabilo, who rose to a career-high No. 19 in the PIF ATP Rankings in July after a series of high-quality showings across the first half of 2024. The 27-year-old was outside the Top 100 as recently as last November, but will now line up for Team World in ATP legend McEnroe’s final outing as captain.
“It's pretty surreal. I mean, when a legend in the sport like [McEnroe] is giving us tips and everything, it's nice,” said Tabilo. “Obviously I’m going to try and use that for the rest of my career. Just definitely going to help this week and hopefully for the whole year.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
China’s No. 1 Zhang Zhizhen is up and running on home soil at the Hangzhou Open. The sixth seed moved past Kazakhstan qualifier Denis Yevseyev 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 on Thursday to reach the second round at the ATP 250.
The 27-year-old was competing on home soil for the first time since he advanced to the fourth round at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai last October.
In a hard-fought first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting between the two, Zhang overcame an erratic display, in which he committed 42 unforced errors en route to advancing after two hours and four minutes. The No. 48 player in the PIF ATP Rankings will meet Mattia Bellucci in the second round.
satisfying win 😊
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 19, 2024
On home soil Zhang defeats Yevseyev 6-2 1-6 6-4 to move into R2 at #HangzhouOpen @HangzhouOpen pic.twitter.com/xy9pVoDSnK
Yoshihito Nishioka improved his perfect record against Top 100 opponents since the start of 2023 to 15-0 on Thursday at the Hangzhou Open, where the Japanese lefty overcame Germany’s Maximilian Marterer 6-4, 6-2.
The eighth seed was in control throughout the 77-minute clash, not facing a break point to earn victory in the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
The No. 54 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, who reached the title match in Zhuhai last year, will next meet Croatian wild card and 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic in the second round.
Chinese wild card Bu Yunchaokete earned his first ATP Tour win of the season, moving past Frenchman Hugo Gaston 7-5, 6-3. Bu won two ATP Challenger Tour titles in 2024 and qualified for the US Open last month, losing to Casper Ruud in the first round.
The 22-year-old faces a tough test in the second round, meeting second seed Karen Khachanov.
[ATP APP]#NextGenATP star Coleman Wong advanced after Wu Yibing was forced to retire after the first set. Wu, who became the first Chinese man to win an ATP Tour title last year in Dallas, has struggled with injury issues in the past year and was forced to stop after losing the first set 3-6.
Wong, who is the first man from Hong Kong to win an ATP Tour match since 1972, is up one spot to ninth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. The 20-year-old is aiming to make his debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF. He faces former Next Gen champ Brandon Nakashima in round two.
In other action at the ATP 250 hard-court event, Bellucci defeated Aslan Karatsev 6-4, 6-0, while Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena overcame Corentin Moutet 7-6(6), 6-1 despite a moment of magic from the Frenchman. Japan’s Yasutaka Uchiyama defeated Australian James McCabe 6-4, 6-4 and will take on top seed Holger Rune in the second round.
Australian Rinky Hijikata moved past Damir Dzumhur 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-2. Hijikata rallied from 2-5 down in the second set to eventually turn the match around after two hours and 31 minutes. He plays seventh seed Fabian Marozsan in the second round. Alexander Shevchenko downed Argentine qualifier Marco Trungelliti 6-1, 6-1 to reach round two.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
Team Europe is not messing around when it comes to its latest bid for Laver Cup glory.
Five of the Top 10 players in the PIF ATP Rankings will this year don the blue colours under Bjorn Borg’s leadership at the teams event. Swedish legend Borg, who will captain Team Europe for the seventh and final time, was in a confident mood Thursday in Berlin, where his team aims to reclaim the Laver Cup trophy for the first time since 2021.
“The last two years I was very disappointed, but this year, look at this team,” said Borg at Europe’s pre-tournament press conference. “I don't think we're going to lose this year. This is going to be one of the good years.
“I'm happy to see these guys. Some of the guys have been playing in Laver Cup many times. We have a good atmosphere always, and to be here with all these guys, it's going to be great. It's going to be good tennis, as always, good matches. Team World, it's a tough team, they play really good, they played really good in the US Open. But I think we have a good chance.”
𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐄𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄 𝐯𝐬 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 ✨@LaverCup | #LaverCup pic.twitter.com/bLc6xxIOhf
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 18, 2024
For the first time, Borg will be able to call upon the abilities of Carlos Alcaraz at the Laver Cup. The Spaniard will make his event debut on Friday night in Berlin, where he teams with home favourite Alexander Zverev in the opening doubles clash of the weekend. Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud, Grigor Dimitrov and Stefanos Tsitsipas are also on Team Europe’s roster.
Having increased his tally of Grand Slam titles to four by triumphing at Roland Garros and Wimbledon this season, Alcaraz is fast establishing himself as a modern great of the game. The 21-year-old is nonetheless ready to absorb any knowledge he can while in the presence of tennis legends such as Borg, Team World captain John McEnroe, and Rod Laver himself.
“For me it's a privilege to be surrounded by Bjorn, by McEnroe, Rod Laver, the legends from our sport who [reached] the top of the sport," said Alcaraz. "So for me, to just try to learn from them so closely, and obviously here in the Laver Cup, I think it's a really beautiful tournament that I'm going to try to enjoy as much as I can.
“With my partners, we used to fight against each other during the whole tournament. Now in this tournament we're going to cheer on each other. It's going to be a beautiful thing that I'm going to try to enjoy, but I'm going to try to learn from them as well as much as can.”
Alcaraz could turn to his opening doubles partner Zverev for any tips on how to handle the Laver Cup pressure. The German, who has won a Tour-leading 56 matches in 2024, is this year set to compete in his fifth edition of the event appearance, a Team Europe record.
“It is a very special tournament,” said Zverev. “It is very different to maybe the regular tournaments that we play, but I think we should enjoy each other. I think we should enjoy having the best on our team. Normally we see each other at later stages of tournaments, and we want to beat each other, we want to do everything I can to win, and now we are here as a team and we have one goal, and that's to win the Laver Cup.
“It doesn't matter who is on the court. I think we, as a team, we all have full trust in that person. I'm just happy to be part of it.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
The Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships is one of 13 ATP 500 events that will host tennis’ elite for a week in the 2024 season. Among those in action are Top 15 stars Taylor Fritz, Hubert Hurkacz, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Holger Rune.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the Japan tournament:
When is the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships?
The ATP 500 event will be held from 25 September to 1 October. The hard-court tournament, established in 1972, is played at the Ariake Tennis Forest Park. The tournament director is Shigefusa Kanroji.
Who is playing at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships?
Fritz, Hurkacz, Ruud, Tsitsipas, Rune, Ben Shelton and Felix Auger-Aliassime are all set to compete in Tokyo.
When is the draw for the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships?
The Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships draw will be made on Monday, 23 September at 2:00 p.m.
What is the schedule for the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships?
Qualifying: Monday, 23 September - Tuesday, 24 October at 11:00 a.m.
Main Draw: Wednesday, 25 September – Saturday, 28 September at 11 a.m. & 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, 29 September at 1:30 p.m. & 6:00 p.m., Monday, 30 September from 4:00 p.m.
Doubles Final: Tuesday, 1 October at 4:30 p.m.
Singles Final: Tuesday, 1 October NB 7:00 p.m.
View On Official Website
What is the prize money and points for the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships?
The prize money for the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships is $1,818,380 and the Total Financial Commitment is $1,989,865.
SINGLES
Winner: $340,010/ 500 points
Finalist: $182,950 / 330 points
Semi-finalist: $97,510/ 200 points
Quarter-finalist: $49,820 / 100 points
Round of 16: $26,595 / 50 points
Round of 32: $14,185 / 0 points
Qualifying: --- / 25 points
Qualifying 2: $7,270 / 13 points
Qualifying 1: $4,080 / 0 points
DOUBLES ($ per team)
Winner: $111,690 / 500 points
Finalist: $59,570 / 300 points
Semi-finalist: $30,140 / 180 points
Quarter-finalist: $15,070 / 90 points
Round of 16: $7,800 / 0 points
Qualifying: --- / 45 points
Qualifying 2: ---/ 25 points
Qualifying 1: ---/ --- points
How can I watch the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships?
Watch Live On TennisTV
TV Schedule
How can I follow the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships?
Hashtag: #kinoshitajotennis
Facebook: Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships
Twitter: @japanopentennis
Instagram: kinoshitagroupjapanopen
Who won the last edition of the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships in 2023?
Shelton defeated Aslan Karatsev 7-5, 6-1 in the men’s singles final last year to claim his maiden ATP Tour title. In the doubles final, all-Australian duo Rinky Hijikata and Max Purcell took the crown in Tokyo, overcoming Jamie Murray and Michael Venus 6-4, 6-1.
Who holds the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships record for most titles, oldest champion, youngest champion and more?
Most Titles, Singles: Stefan Edberg (4)
Most Titles, Doubles: Ken Flach (3), Rick Leach (3)
Oldest Champion: Ken Rosewall, 38, in 1973
Youngest Champion: Jimmy Arias, 18, in 1982
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 1 Stefan Edberg in 1991, No. 1 Pete Sampras in 1994, 1996, No. 1 Roger Federer in 2006, No. 1 Rafael Nadal in 2010, No. 1 Novak Djokovic in 2019
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 121 Kenneth Carlsen in 2002
Last Home Champion: Kei Nishikori in 2014
Most Match Wins: Stefan Edberg (27)
View Who Is Playing, Past Champions, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
The China Open is one of 13 ATP 500 events that host an elite roster of men's players. Among those in action this year in Beijing are No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the Chinese tournament:
When is the China Open?
The ATP 500 event will be held from 26 September to 2 October. The hard-court tournament, established in 1993, will take place at the National Tennis Centre. The tournament directors are Lars Graff and Alfred Zhang Junhui.
Who is playing at the China Open?
Sinner, Alcaraz, Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Grigor Dimitrov, Lorenzo Musetti and Zhizhen Zhang are among the field in China.
When is the draw for China Open?
The China Open draw will be made on Tuesday, 24 September at 2:30 p.m.
What is the schedule for the China Open?
Qualifying: Tuesday, 24 – Wednesday, 25 September at 11:00 a.m.
Main Draw: Thursday, 26 September – Wednesday, 2 October
Start time: Thursday - Sunday at 11:00 a.m., Monday and Tuesday from 12 noon
Night sessions from 7:00 p.m. and NB 8:30 p.m.
Doubles Final: Wednesday, 2 October NB 2:00 p.m.
Singles Final: Wednesday, 2 October NB 5:00 p.m.
View On Official Website
What is the prize money and points for the China Open?
The prize money for the China Open is $3,720,165 and the Total Financial Commitment is $3,891,650.
SINGLES
Winner: $695,750 / 500 points
Finalist: $374,340 / 330 points
Semi-finalist: $199,495 / 200 points
Quarter-finalist: $101,925 / 100 points
Round of 16: $54,405 / 50 points
Round of 32: $29,015 / 0 points
Qualifying: --- / 25 points
Qualifying 2: $14,870 / 13 points
Qualifying 1: $8,340 / 0 points
DOUBLES ($ per team)
Winner: $228,510 / 500 points
Finalist: $121,870 / 300 points
Semi-finalist: $61,660 / 180 points
Quarter-finalist: $30,830 / 90 points
Round of 16: $15,960 / 0 points
Qualifying: --- / 45 points
Qualifying 2: ---/ 25 points
Qualifying 1: ---/ --- points
How can I watch the China Open?
Watch Live On Tennis TV
TV Schedule
How can I follow the China Open?
Hashtag: #ChinaOpen
Facebook: China Open
Twitter: @ChinaOpen
Instagram: @chinaopen
Who won the last edition of the China Open in 2023?
Sinner defeated Medvedev 7-6(2), 7-6(2) to claim the 2023 title and notch up his first win against Medvedev in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek won the doubles title as top seeds, overcoming Neal Skupski and Wesley Koolhof 6-7(12), 6-3, 10-6 in the final.
Who holds the China Open record for most titles, oldest champion, youngest champion and more?
Most Titles, Singles: Novak Djokovic (6)
Most Titles, Doubles: Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan (3)
Oldest Champion: Rafael Nadal, 31, in 2017
Youngest Champion: Rafael Nadal, 19, in 2005
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 1 Novak Djokovic in 2013-15, No. 1 Rafael Nadal in 2017
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 34 Nikoloz Basilashvili in 2018
Last Home Champion: None
Most Match Wins: Novak Djokovic (29)
View Who Is Playing, Past Champions, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
American Martin Damm walked onto the practice court for his final training session before this year's grass-court swing. The 20-year-old was eagerly waiting to compete professionally on grass, the surface on which he beat Carlos Alcaraz at the Wimbledon junior event in 2019.
But in an instant, Damm suffered a freak injury that kept him out of the game for three months. He tore two ligaments in his left ankle before the training session even began.
“I just stepped and next thing I know, I’m on the ground in crazy pain. It was brutal,” Damm told ATPTour.com at the Saint-Tropez Open, an ATP Challenger Tour 125 event. “I just stepped, I didn’t necessarily roll it or fall.
“I think something must have been bad in the ankle. It must have been getting close to it and it was just a matter of what day it was going to happen. I don’t think these things just happen out of nowhere. I couldn’t even put my heel down to the ground the first two weeks.”
[ATP APP]Before the injury, Damm was enjoying some of the best results of his career. He reached his first ATP Challenger Tour final in January and made a third-round run at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Miami two months later.
Now Damm is “getting used to trusting my ankle a little more” and aiming to find the level he was producing in the first half of the year.
The son of 40-time tour-level doubles titlist Martin Damm, the Florida native has unique attributes that make him a tricky opponent. Turning 21 at the end of September, Damm stands tall at 6’8” and is left-handed.
“Not many players were or are like that. It definitely has its advantages and disadvantages. I think the great thing is that I’m lefty and the size. Hopefully my serve can get to a point where it's one of the best in the world,” Damm said.
“At the same time, the game has progressed so much the last few years, everyone is so good at hitting a tennis ball. So unfortunately it’s not only about the serve and how you hit the ball. The majority of it is the physical side, fitness, and the mental side of it as well.
“I think it’s time to look past forehands, backhand and serves. Obviously it’s great to have that in the toolbox, but you have to be an absolute beast mentally and physically as well to compete with those guys. I think that’s something I need to improve the most in."
Damm has learned the importance of mental fortitude from his father, whose biggest career doubles title came at the 2006 US Open alongside Leander Paes. The American has also been working with USTA mental performance coach Larry Lauer for seven years.
“[My dad] told me no matter how bad it gets, just keep working,” Damm said. “At the time, it might feel like career-ending losses but at the end of the day, it’s just one match and the season is so long. Keep your head down, keep working and know that the tough times will pass at some point.
“My dad and Larry say, ‘Just accept it, move on, keep working and tomorrow is a new day’.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
#NextGenATP Chinese star Shang Juncheng delivered in front of a lively home crowd on Thursday at the Chengdu Open, where he moved past former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-4 in a high-quality first-round match.
Shang is one of the most exciting prospects on the ATP Tour and the 19-year-old showed why against the 34-year-old Nishikori. He hit cleanly off both wings and dug deep when serving for the match in the second set, fending off two break points before eventually advancing to level the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series at 1-1.
Shang was full of praise for Nishikori after his win.
"His returns are unbelievable, some of the best in the world," Shang said. "His game is taking the ball early. He doesn't give you much time and he can defend anything that is coming at him. All the players are tricky but it is tough to play him because he moves in the same way as I do. It was a very good match and he is a really good guy and we get along well off the court."
Shang shines in Chengdu 🪩
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 19, 2024
The 19-year-old continues to impress as he rallies past Nishikori 6-4 6-4!@ChengduOpen | #ChengduOpen pic.twitter.com/nNb1rapOss
Shang has now earned 20 tour-level wins in a season for the first time, highlighted by semi-final runs in Hong Kong and Atlanta. The lefty will hope to perform well on home soil during the Asian swing in an aim to further cement his chances of qualifying for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, due to take place from 18-22 December. Shang is currently third in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah.
"The goal for Asia is to be healthy and happy," said Shang, who has won his past seven first-round matches. "I don't get to play at home much. The fans don't get to watch the Chinese players much, so it is to have fun."
Nishikori was making his debut in Chengdu. The 12-time tour-level titlist struck the ball well against Shang but struggled physically at times, receiving treatment on his left leg and right elbow.
[ATP APP]Australian Alexsandar Vukic saved one match point to earn a hard-fought 3-6, 7-6(9), 6-4 win against former World No. 12 Borna Coric at the ATP 250.
Vukic, who leads Coric 2-0 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series, will aim to reach the quarter-finals at a tour-level hard-court event for the first time this season when he takes on Spaniard Pedro Martinez in the second round.
Last year’s finalist Roman Safiullin made a winning start against Fabio Fognini, defeating the Italian 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
Safiullin, who did not drop a set en route to the final last year before losing to Alexander Zverev, fired 27 winners, including 12 aces according to Infosys ATP Stats to advance after two hours and nine minutes. He will meet Shang in the second round.
Fifth seed Adrian Mannarino earned a first-round win, moving past countryman Terence Atmane 6-7(9), 6-1, 6-3. Mannarino won three tour-level titles last year but is still searching for his first crown in 2024.
Chinese wild card Zhou Yi earned his first ATP Tour win after Chun-Hsin Tseng was forced to retire in the third set. Zhou led 2-6, 6-1, 3-1 when Tseng stopped. The No. 531 player in the PIF ATP Rankings meets Mannarino in the second round.
In other action, qualifier Alibek Kachmazov advanced, defeating American Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 7-6(7), while Yannick Hanfmann beat Japanese wild card Shintaro Mochizuki 6-4, 7-6(4). Christopher O'Connell eliminated Pavel Kotov 6-4, 7-5.
Argentine qualifier Federico Agustin Gomez set a clash with second seed Alexander Bublik after beating Frenchman Alexandre Muller 6-4, 7-5.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
‘Does this little guy also want to try a ball?’
That was the question that started it all for Alexander Blockx, who began playing tennis at age four. Blockx’s brother Maxime, three years his senior, was taking tennis lessons and while Alexander was watching courtside, coach Philippe Cassiers uttered the phrase that kickstarted the Belgian’s journey in the sport.
To this day, Blockx is coached by Cassiers, a 15-year partnership that has featured great success. Blockx became the junior No. 1 in singles and doubles in 2023, the same year he won the Australian Open boys’ singles event.
Competing mostly on the ATP Challenger Tour this season, the 19-year-old is living out his dream as a professional tennis player, a pinch-me moment for someone whose start in tennis was nearly accidental.
“It wasn’t planned for me, I was just going with to see [my brother] a bit,” Blockx recalled to ATPTour.com. “Eventually when we got there, the coach asked my parents, ‘Does this little guy also want to try a ball?’ I said, 'Yes', and I started playing and never stopped.”
[ATP APP]Cassiers, who runs a tennis academy outside of Antwerp, instantly noticed Blockx’s natural ability.
“There was a little boy sitting on the bench next to mommy and daddy — and that was Alexander,” Cassiers said. “I asked, ‘Do you want to try?’ He stood up and was like, ‘Let’s do it’. We threw him a couple balls and you could tell he was really motivated, ready to play right away. He wasn’t scared. He was ready to go for it and it was really fun. I talked to his parents, ‘Maybe we should try training for the little one as well’. We have been working ever since.”
Blockx is not the first professional athlete in his family. His father Oleg was a track athlete, excelling in hurdle races while Blockx’s mother Natalia was a professional swimmer.
The #NextGenATP teen has never played any sport besides tennis. As a child, he was too busy dominating tennis tournaments, even above his age group.
“You have big dreams, but when I realised I was good at the sport was when I was playing with guys older than me, two or three years older than me. Because against my age and a year older, I barely lost a game every time we played until the age of 14,” said Blockx, who is 24th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah.
“First, I played the Belgian tournaments. I was winning almost everything and then my coach said, ‘Okay, now we are going to play a higher age group'. I started winning everything so we started playing international to see how that goes. In under 12s, I played 45 matches and won 42 I think. So then we were like, ‘Okay, there’s real potential'. At the age of 12, I realised I want to go all in and it might actually work out.”
Currently No. 264 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Blockx has gained more attention since the start of 2023, when he became Belgium’s third junior Slam champion and first at Melbourne Park. Jacques Brichant (1947) and Kimmer Coppejans (2012) triumphed at Roland Garros.
Alexander Blockx wins the 2023 Australian Open junior title. Credit: Manan Vatsyayana/AFP via Getty Images
“It was amazing. Also because of the way I won it, 11/9 third-set tie-breaker [in the final],” Blockx said. “The whole week I played some good players: [Joao] Fonseca, against Learner [Tien] in the final.”
Blockx this year has made three semi-final appearances on the ATP Challenger Tour, with two of those runs coming prior to a two-month injury layoff in the middle of the season. Blockx was playing his second match in what was supposed to be a five-week Asian swing in April when he tore a ligament in his right ankle, sidelining him until mid-July.
Now back at full health, Blockx showed flashes of his best level last week when he made his Davis Cup debut, which he labelled as, “one of the best experiences of my life so far on a tennis court”. Blockx represented his home country against Italy and pushed former World No. 6 Matteo Berrettini to three sets.
One key element in Blockx’s breakthrough, according to Cassiers, has been his charge’s genuine love for the sport.
“He has a passion for tennis that is really unbelievable,” Cassiers said. “It's becoming more of an obsession at the moment. He’s really, really into the game. I see many players during the last years, and I’ve never seen a player this passionate and obsessed with the game and [with] the will to improve.
“Off the court, he’s following websites, Challenger TV, YouTube and all these things. You can ask him very hard questions, ‘In 2020, who played the quarter-finals of Madrid?’ Or whatever, he is going to be able to give you an answer with the scores. Off the court, he’s still busy with tennis things.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
Greek duo Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari will team once again when the United Cup kicks off the 2025 season on 27 December.
Paris Olympics gold medallist Zheng Qinwen and World No. 9 in the PIF ATP Rankings Casper Ruud will also return to lead China and Norway, respectively.
Tsitsipas and Sakkari have helped Team Greece to the knockout stages in the previous two editions of the tournament, without tasting ultimate success.
Tsitsipas is hoping the strong team culture he and Sakkari have built so far at the United Cup will hold Team Greece in good stead for 2025.
“The team we have built with Maria over the last few years is definitely one that gives us a lot of opportunities to go big and create a lot of damage on the field,” he said. “Getting the opportunity to have a lot of good individuals within one team gives us a lot of motivation and a lot of reasons to go out there and fight for our best.”
A sense of patriotism keeps bringing the World No. 12 Tsitsipas back to the United Cup.
“Representing Team Greece in a team competition like that at the beginning of the year is something that allows me to be really patriotic and start the year very strong,” he said. “Knowing that we come from a country rich in history and good traditions and values when it comes to sports is an extra reason to go out there and represent tennis, try and do as good as we can to uplift tennis and bring its highest value in our country.”
Tournament Director Stephen Farrow believes the combination of Tsitsipas and Sakkari perfectly encapsulates the atmosphere of the international mixed-teams event.
“Tsitsipas and Sakkari qualified Greece at the first two editions of the United Cup. They are both fan favourites and are looking forward to starting their year with us in 2025,” he said.
[ATP APP]“The Greek fans in both Perth and Sydney have supported the United Cup with great passion. They bring an unrivaled energy in support of their country’s biggest sporting stars, which is the essence of the United Cup.”
Meanwhile, World No. 7 Zheng led Team China to a United Cup quarter-final berth earlier this year and has ensured China’s qualification once again.
“I’m delighted to be able to qualify China again for the United Cup,” said Zheng, the first Chinese player in history to win an Olympic tennis medal in singles. “The United Cup presents a unique opportunity to play for our country in a mixed team environment, similar to the Olympics, and we couldn’t be more excited to share this experience together.”
Farrow is grateful a player of Zheng’s quality has recommitted to compete at the United Cup.
“Zheng has had an incredible 2024. She reached the final of the Australian Open in January, won gold in Paris and has maintained her Top 10 ranking throughout the year,” said Farrow of the player who also recently reached the US Open quarter-finals. “She’s a great player and a big personality and it’s fantastic to welcome her back to the United Cup.”
Ruud is also set to feature at the tournament as he headlines Norway’s third United Cup campaign. The 25-year-old went undefeated in his singles matches at the last United Cup and took the Norwegians to the quarter-finals.
“Casper Ruud’s consistent results on the Tour has again allowed Norway to secure their position at the United Cup for another year. Ruud’s early commitment recognises the value in participating in global team competitions,” Farrow said.
The 2025 United Cup starts on 27 December and features 18 countries battling it out across both Sydney and Perth. The champions will be crowned in the final on 5 January.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
ATP Tour stars from the past and present stood before an iconic landmark on Wednesday evening in Berlin for the official pre-event photograph of the 2024 Laver Cup.
Captains and players partaking in this year’s edition of the teams event headed to the German capital’s Brandenburg Gate for a spectacular sunset shot. Former No. 1s in the PIF ATP Rankings Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe are this year captaining Team Europe and Team World, respectively, for the seventh and final time, and they will have some of the current day’s finest talent to choose from across 20-22 September at Uber Arena.
Borg’s Team Europe lineup includes home favourite Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud, Grigor Dimitrov, and Stefanos Tsitsipas, with Flavio Cobolli and Jan-Lennard Struff in Berlin as alternates. The Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz is looking forward to making his bow in an event that pits six of the best European stars against six players from the rest of the world.
“I think it’s a unique event,” Alcaraz told media after the photoshoot. “I’m supporting my opponents from the rest of the year, so it’s going to be a little bit weird for me but I think it’s going to be fun. The format is unique as well, so I’m super excited to start the event and see how it’s going to be on Friday and at the weekend. Really happy to be here at the Laver Cup.”
Always a pleasure to have @rogerfederer in town 🤩@LaverCup | #LaverCup pic.twitter.com/WwqPtunJCM
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 18, 2024
The World No. 7 Taylor Fritz is the highest-ranked star on Team World. The American will hope to back up his run to his maiden Grand Slam final at the US Open with a strong showing in Berlin.
“I’m super excited I’m here,” said Fritz. “I’ve heard really good things about Berlin and so far I’m really enjoying it. It’s one of those places, that if Laver Cup wasn’t here, I might never have gotten the chance to come.”
For McEnroe, the fact that this will be his last as captain of Team World only serves as extra motivation. The American hopes to steer his roster, which includes Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Ben Shelton, Alejandro Tabilo, Francisco Cerundolo and Thanasi Kokkinakis, to a third consecutive Laver Cup triumph.
“My idol as a kid was Rod Laver, and Roger Federer was the most beautiful player, one of the best people I’ve ever met. He came up with this idea, and to be able to do this with my best rival and great friend Bjorn Borg [is great],” McEnroe told ATPTour.com. “It’s pretty tough and when you lose, it sucks, but it’s still a great experience to be part of this. Hopefully, since we finally won the past two, we can go out with a bang.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
Wu Yibing was around 14 years old when he noticed a strange swelling on his left foot. The on-and-off pain was the result of a slight fracture that did not require immediate surgery, but doctors advised that it would likely need treatment in the future.
After nearly a decade of waiting, Wu opted for surgery late last year. It was a tough moment for the Chinese star who was in the form of his life. A fierce competitor with a fierce forehand, Wu triumphed at the Dallas Open to become China’s lone ATP Tour titlist in February 2023. He later hit a career-high No. 54 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
But shortly after the US Open, Wu was forced to put an early end to his dream year.
“I felt like it bothered me a lot last year after the grass season. Maybe the surface change and also the shoes, I didn’t feel really used to,” Wu told ATPTour.com at the Hangzhou Open, where he is competing in front of his home fans this week. “So I started to feel it more after grass and that’s why I decided to do the surgery after the US Open.”
[ATP APP]Since undergoing surgery, Wu has competed in just one ATP Tour event (Houston this year). Then he missed an additional four-and-a-half months. Wu did not compete from March 2019 until January 2022 due to several injuries, including issues with his elbow, which required surgery, his lower back, shoulder and wrist.
“I think the tougher parts of life always teach you something. I think we can all take these parts as motivation,” Wu said. “Mentally I will be even tougher because of the things I’ve [been] through. It's not easy for everybody.”
Wu’s latest comeback featured a positive start. He immediately won his fifth ATP Challenger Tour title in August in Jinan, China. It was just his second outing of the year.
“That was very special. I feel like the work I put in before starting to play again was all worth it,” Wu said. “A lot of practice, a lot of effort outside the tournaments. A lot of work in the gym. Hopefully everything can come together, [I can] be healthy and play good tennis again.”
Wu Yibing triumphs at the ATP Challenger Tour 50 event in Jinan. Credit: Jinan Open
For many Chinese fans, this year’s Asian hard-court swing marks the first time they can watch Wu in person since his rapid rise in 2023.
Competing this week in his birth city Hangzhou, Wu is making his first ATP Tour appearance on Chinese soil since 2018. It is a grand homecoming for the World No. 566.
“I actually drove by the West Lake a few days ago and the facility was right there. It brings me back. A lot of good memories,” Wu said. “As a young kid, four or five years old, playing with regular racquets, which were cleaning the floor!”
Nine months into the season, the wild card Wu will aim for his first tour-level win of the year when he faces #NextGenATP Coleman Wong in the first round.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
Carlos Alcaraz and Flavio Cobolli may be in Berlin this week primarily to play tennis, but that didn’t stop the ATP Tour stars from testing their football skills with some local experts on Wednesday afternoon.
Ahead of the 2024 Laver Cup in the German capital, Team Europe’s Alcaraz and Cobolli challenged members of Bundesliga team FC Union Berlin to a game of football and tennis at Uber Arena. Both tennis stars are big football fans: Alcaraz supports Spanish giant Real Madrid, while Italy’s Cobolli is a huge fan of AS Roma.
🎾 x ⚽️@carlosalcaraz and @cobollifla challenged members of @fcunion to a friendly competition.@LaverCup | #LaverCup | 📸: Getty Images pic.twitter.com/VbKTrXea5O
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 18, 2024
Alcaraz and Cobolli also visited Berlin’s renowned East Side Gallery in its historic Friedrichshain district, where they swapped football jerseys and Team Europe jackets with their footballing counterparts. The representatives from FC Union Berlin included Head Coach Bo Svensson and co-trainers Babak Keyhanfar and Tijan Njie.
The No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz is the only Laver Cup debutant on Team Europe’s six-man roster at this year’s edition of the teams’ event. Cobolli is in Berlin as an alternate for captain Bjorn Borg’s team, which will take on the Team World roster captained by John McEnroe.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
For the past 20 years, Beijing has been home to the China Open, an outdoor hard-court tournament that has attracted some of the ATP Tour's biggest names.
The ATP 500, which has been a combined event since its inception in 2004 after the WTA Tour moved its WTA 1000 from Shanghai, has been won by a host of notable champions, including Marat Safin, Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and most recently, Jannik Sinner.
Ahead of the 20th anniversary edition of the event, ATPTour.com looks back on some of the men's singles champions in Beijing.
[ATP APP] 2004: Safin, Beijing’s First Champion
There can hardly have been a more emphatic first champion in Beijing than Safin. The former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings competed as the fifth seed in the inaugural edition of the ATP 500 and he did not drop a set all week.
Safin’s dominance in the Chinese capital kick-started a red-hot run on the hard courts. He won ATP Masters 1000 events in Madrid and Paris later that year, before lifting his second Grand Slam title at the 2005 Australian Open.
Marat Safin lifts the trophy at the inaugural China Open in 2004. Goh Chai Hin/AFP via Getty Images
2005 & 2017: Nadal Bookends in Beijing
Nadal won the Beijing title on his both his event debut in 2005 and his most recent appearance there in 2017. He defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero and Guillermo Coria en route to the 2005 crown, a title run that in came in the midst of his stunning breakout season during which he won 11 tour-level titles overall.
Twelve years later, in 2017, the Spaniard triumphed in Beijing once again, despite facing two match points in his first-round match against former World No. 10 Lucas Pouille. Nadal defeated three opponents from the Top 20 of the PIF ATP Rankings — John Isner, Grigor Dimitrov and Nick Kyrgios — to cap his run in the Chinese capital.
"It is an important title for me," said Nadal after his 2017 triumph. "The last year that I had the trophy with me was in 2005. In 2005 I never would have believed that I will keep playing tennis in 2017... I'm very happy."
Rafael Nadal wins the 2017 Beijing title. Photo Credit: Etienne Oliveau/Getty Images
2008: Roddick, Beijing’s Only American Winner
In 2008, Andy Roddick achieved history by becoming the first and only American to raise a title at the China Open.
The 2003 US Open champion lifted his fifth and final ATP 500 title in Beijing, where he defeated his fellow former World No. 1 Ferrero in the quarter-finals and Dudi Sela in the championship match.
Andy Roddick in action during the 2008 Beijing championship match. Photo Credit: Andrew Wong/Getty Images
2009-10, 2012-15: The Djokovic Dynasty in Beijing
Novak Djokovic has become synonymous with Beijing’s tournament. The Serbian holds a 29-0 record at the ATP 500.
In 2009, the Serbian defeated Marin Cilic in straight sets to win his first China Open title. The victory over the Croatian opened the door to years of Djokovic dominance in the Chinese capital, including titles in five of the next six years (2009-10, 2012-15). The former World No. 1 has won the China Open six times, a tournament record, without dropping a single set in the final on any occasion.
"This is right at the top, one of the best achievements I've had in my career," said Djokovic prior to his 2015 championship-match clash with Nadal. "Every time I keep coming back, I have these positive, great memories from the success, the great performances I had on the centre court, support, just overall feel is very positive. I try to use that in my favour."
Novak Djokovic defeats Rafael Nadal in the 2015 China Open final. Photo Credit: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
2016: In the Midst of Murray Magic
Andy Murray arrived at Beijing in 2016 on the backdrop of a remarkable year. The Scot was in the midst of an incredible season that included becoming the first player to win back-to-back Olympic Gold medals, while also winning the Wimbledon championships and reaching two other major finals (Australian Open, French Open).
In the 2016 China Open, Murray capped off a dominant year, by defeating two former Top 10 players to win his first title at the China Open. Murray won 26 straight matches to finish the year as the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF.
Andy Murray won his sole Beijing title in 2016. Photo Credit: Emmanuel Wong/Getty Images
2023: Sinner flourishes in Beijing
One of the key moments of Jannik Sinner's breakthrough 2023 season was in Beijing, where he defeated two Top 3 players, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev, to lift the title. Medvedev had won all six of their previous Lexus ATP Head2Head matchups.
Sinner’s impressive form carried over to 2024, when he won his maiden major at the Australian Open before becoming the first Italian No. 1 in PIF ATP Rankings history in June.
With these historic moments in mind, the stage is set for this year's edition of the China Open, which will be played from 26 September-2 October.
Will a Chinese man break through to triumph on home soil? Zhang Zhizhen, who recently won the mixed doubles silver medal in the Paris Olympics, is the country's leading hope. Other home favourites to watch include #NextGenATP Shang Juncheng and Buyunchaokete.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
Robert Lansdorp, the pioneering coach based in California who mentored four World No. 1s and impacted countless players at all levels throughout his career, has passed away aged 85.
Lansdorp, who was born in Indonesia and then moved with his family to the Netherlands before they relocated to the United States, played college tennis at Pepperdine University. The All-American will not be remembered for his competitive achievements, though. He became a legend as a coach, inspiring several generations of stars to reach their potential.
Lansdorp mentored both ATP and WTA greats from an early age, developing them into the international icons they became. Notable legends he coached include Tracy Austin, Pete Sampras, Lindsay Davenport and Maria Sharapova.
Lansdorp began working with eventual World No. 1 Austin at the Jack Kramer Club in California when she was seven. In 1979, aged 16, she won the US Open.
“As a coach, it didn't matter whether he was coaching a No. 1 in the world or someone that was hoping to make the high school team, he gave 100 per cent,” Austin told ATPTour.com. “He just loved the challenge of trying to make that person on the other side of the court the best tennis player that they could be. He enjoyed that. He actually enjoyed that challenge of making that person a better tennis player with the half an hour or the hour that he had.
“His DNA was to to push you, but he also pushed himself. And I think when we realised that, then you you were on board. You were on board [and knew] that we were on this journey together… He asked for perfection, but you were more than willing to try to get there.”
Another World No. 1, Davenport, added: “Robert was so unique. He was a personality like no one I've ever met or been around, and I was really fortunate to have him come into my life when I was around nine years old.
“He changed my life in terms of, I would never have gone down the path or achieved anything I was able to achieve without having him in my life. It's hard to put in words, because all of us that worked with him, I've talked to so many people in the last day and a half, and we have this bond even though we don't necessarily speak all the time, just because of our history [with Robert]. He was so important to so many people over such a long period of time.”
[ATP APP]The former No. 6 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, Eliot Teltscher, also started with Lansdorp well before he was a teen. Now 65, he has remained close with his mentor ever since.
“I stopped playing tennis almost 40 years ago, but I stayed friends with Robert until the very end. So his impact for me didn't end when I stopped playing tennis. His impact was, for me, for my life. The best way I could put it is he never stopped coaching me,” Teltscher said. “We would talk and discuss things and talk about things when I wasn't playing tennis, when I was in my 40s and 50s and 60s. It never ended. He was, I think for me, a little more of a mentor than a coach.
“It didn't stop when tennis stopped, it continued. A lot of times, you teach somebody when they're done playing, that's it, that's the end of it. I'm going to speak for myself and not for others, but I think a lot feel the same way. My relationship with Robert never ended. It went on forever. I called him up every few months to just say, ‘Hey, what's going on? What's this? What's that?’ It never, never stopped. So I'll miss that.”
Author Malcolm Gladwell popularised the 10,000-hour rule, which presents the idea that it takes practising a skill for 10,000 hours to master it. According to Teltscher, Lansdorp embodied that long before it was widely discussed like it is today.
“The most common thing people had was all his students tried really, really hard, and it was because of the respect they had for Robert as a person. It was that respect that you wanted him to be proud of you, so you tried really hard,” Teltscher said. “Before the guy came out with it, Robert was basically preaching it. If you want to get good, you've got to hit a million balls. And he had a very large basket of balls, much larger than, actually, anybody I've ever seen. And so you didn't get too many breaks, and you got a tonne of balls until it became where you could do it without thinking. You could just do it.”
Austin recalled drills in which Lansdorp would hang a broom handle from the net with a hook and there would be a tennis can that would sit nicely on the top. It was a target that required a lot of accuracy. The coach would then feed ball after ball to see how often his player could hit it.
“You’d do it over and over again, and he’d place it for the cross court, and place it for the down the line, and then you’d play a game and see how many out of 10 you could get,” Austin said. “There was always some method to his madness, whether it was trying to hit you slices and top spins, or trying to make you hit on the rise, to challenge your timing, or trying to make you mentally tough.
“You'd play a game, and you'd be up in the game, and it’s 15-7 and he’d go, ‘Nope, it’s 15-7 for me’. You’d go, ‘No Robert, it’s 15-7 for me’, and he’d kind of chuckle. You knew he was doing this for a reason, just to [make you] dig in a little bit stronger and not not give in, try to make you tougher.”
According to Davenport, Lansdorp’s drills remained the same over the decades. She did the same things Austin did and her son Jagger Leach, the junior World No. 15 who is playing his first professional tournament this week, had to go through the same drills when he visited with Lansdorp in 2017.
“You had to become great at them, and you had to do them all the time,” Davenport said. “If you didn't do it well one day, guess what? You were going to keep doing it until you figured it out.”
Brian Teacher, the 1980 Australian Open champion, began taking lessons with Lansdorp when he was a freshman at UCLA.
"He helped me quite a bit with hitting over my backhand,” Teacher said. “We would work out once a week. I always enjoyed my lessons with him. He pushed. He pushed all his kids very hard and harder.
“He he would kind of make you want to vomit in the back of the court because he'd work you so hard, but you got better. No questions about that. He really specialised in getting you to hit the ball deep. To hit deep and penetrating balls, he liked you to hit clean through the ball. I think he pushed all his students hard. It was his specialty.
“Everybody loves Robert and they loved for him to work them out. He helped my game a tonne and started me on a good progression as a freshman to move to the top of the ranks in college. I always considered Robert a good buddy as well as a great coach. I had true love for his passion and his character and humanity. He will truly be missed."
Earlier this year, several of Lansdorp’s former players and others in the community gathered at the Jack Kramer Club to honour the 85-year-old. It is clear his legacy will carry on.
“He was a character,” Davenport said. “He won't be forgotten, that's for sure.”
[NEWSLETTER FORM]