Match Preview
Beijing Draw: Sinner, Alcaraz, Medvedev learn paths
ATP 500 event starts Thursday
September 24, 2024
Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
Jannik Sinner will play Nicolas Jarry in the first round in Beijing.
By Sam Jacot
Top seed Jannik Sinner will begin his China Open title defence against Chilean Nicolas Jarry, while Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev are in the same half of the draw in Beijing.
Italian Sinner is competing for the first time since he won his second major title at the US Open earlier this month. The 23-year-old, who holds a standout 55-5 record on the season, has fond memories in Beijing, having defeated Medvedev in the title match last year.
Twelve months on and Sinner returns to China as the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings. Chasing a Tour-leading seventh title of the season, he could meet former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka in the second round and fifth seed Grigor Dimitrov in the quarter-finals.
Wild card Wawrinka faces Jan-Lennard Struff in his opener, while former finalist Dimitrov takes on a qualifier. Dimitrov (2,835 points) is 10th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and will aim for a deep run at the ATP 500 hard-court event to close the gap on eighth-placed Alex de Minaur (3,305), who is currently injured.
In the bottom half of the draw, Alcaraz and Medvedev arrive fresh off helping Team Europe win the Laver Cup in Berlin.
Alcaraz will meet big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the first round, with Tallon Griekspoor or Miomir Kecmanovic a potential second-round opponent. The 21-year-old Spaniard is seeded to play seventh seed Karen Khachanov in the quarter-finals.
Medvedev starts against Frenchman Gael Monfils in a popcorn first-round clash, with eighth seed Alexander Bublik a potential quarter-final opponent. Bublik begins against Flavio Cobolli.
Rublev is seventh in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and in strong contention to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the fifth consecutive year. The 26-year-old is a potential semi-final opponent for Sinner and could meet Lorenzo Musetti in the quarter-finals. Rublev starts against Pablo Carreno Busta and Musetti plays a qualifier.
Chinese #NextGenATP star Shang Juncheng starts against his countryman Buyunchaokete, while another home favourite, Zhang Zhizhen, faces Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
The ATP 500 event in Beijing starts on Thursday, with the final on 2 October.
