ATP Tour

Medvedev, Vacherot headline Hangzhou, Chengdu fields; Alcaraz at Laver Cup

The ATP Tour’s 2026 Asian swing begins Wednesday with an ATP 250 doubleheader in China, while World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz continues his return to action at the Laver Cup, which takes place 25-27 September in London.

Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev are the top two seeds, respectively, at the AITO Hangzhou Open. Valentin Vacherot leads the field at the Chengdu Open, where 17-year-old Frenchman Moise Kouame features after receiving entry through the PIF ATP Next Gen Accelerator.

US Open champion Alexander Zverev and Alcaraz headline the Top-10 players in the PIF ATP Rankings competing at the Laver Cup, where Flavio Cobolli, Alex de Minaur and Taylor Fritz also feature.

ATPTour.com breaks down five things to watch at each event.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN HANGZHOU:
1) Medvedev Leads Field: Medvedev was building momentum at the US Open before an inspired Frances Tiafoe halted his run in the fourth round. The former World No. 1 will now look to bounce back in Hangzhou. He is eighth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and aiming to return to the Nitto ATP Finals after missing out on qualification last year for the first time since 2019.

2) Rublev Seeks Resurgence: After winning just two of five matches during the North American hard-court swing, Rublev will look to rediscover his form in Hangzhou. The World No. 25 is chasing his 19th tour-level title and second of the season, having triumphed on clay in Bastad in July.

3) Zhang, Bu Among Home Hopes: Three Chinese players feature in the main draw, led by Zhang Zhizhen and Buyunchaokete. Zhang has defeated Buyunchaokete in each of their past two appearances in Hangzhou, including in the 2024 semi-final. Wild card Cui Jie will open against fifth seed Adolfo Daniel Vallejo.

Watch Zhang vs. Bu Highlights, Hangzhou 2025 R1:

4) Etcheverry, Halys Among Seeds: Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Quentin Halys are the third and fourth seeds, respectively. Halys pushed eventual champion Zverev to five sets in the second round of the US Open earlier this month. Fabian Marozsan, Jaime Faria and Kamil Majchrzak are also seeded at the ATP 250 event.

5) Halys/Miedler Join Forces: Halys and Lucas Miedler will compete as a pair for the first time when they enter as the top seeds the doubles field in Hangzhou. The draw also features Petr Nouza/Neil Oberleitner and Francisco Cabral/JJ Tracy.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN CHENGDU:
1) Vacherot Leads Way: Fresh from helping Monaco reach the Davis Cup Qualifiers for the first time, Vacherot returns to ATP Tour action as the top seed for the first time in his career. The 27-year-old has fond memories of this stage of the season, having announced his breakthrough in 2025 by winning his first Masters 1000 title in Shanghai as a No. 204-ranked qualifier.

2) Former Champions Tabilo, Shang: Third seed and reigning champion Alejandro Tabilo, along with 2024 winner Shang Juncheng, are back in Chengdu hoping to reclaim the trophy. Tabilo saved two championship points to defeat Lorenzo Musetti in last year’s final and could face Shang in the second round this year if the Chinese lefty overcomes Adrian Mannarino in his opener.

3) #NextGenATP Kouame Receives Accelerator Spot: Already a winner of three tour-level matches this year, 17-year-old Kouame will look to continue his eye-catching rise in Chengdu. The World No. 191 has received entry through the PIF ATP Next Gen Accelerator, which provides additional playing opportunities for the best up-and-coming stars from junior, college and traditional pathways.

4) Davidovich Fokina Set to Return: Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will make his return to action for the first time since Umag in July after dealing with a back injury. The Spaniard, who captured his first ATP Tour title in Mallorca in June, will begin his campaign against Juan Manuel Cerundolo or Yi Zhou.

5) Arribage/Olivetti Lead Doubles: Theo Arribage and Albano Olivetti, chasing their sixth title of the 2026 season, are the top seeds in the doubles draw, which also features Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH AT THE LAVER CUP:
1) Alcaraz Continues Comeback: After missing four months with a wrist injury, Alcaraz returned at the US Open, where he reached the quarter-finals before falling to Ben Shelton. The World No. 3 will now look to help Team Europe challenge Team World in the ninth edition of the Laver Cup.

2) Zverev Riding Momentum: Fresh from winning his second major title at the US Open, Zverev followed up with two victories to help Germany advance to the Davis Cup Finals. The 29-year-old, who leads the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and is chasing his first ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honour, will represent Team Europe for the seventh time.

3) Team World Defends Its Crown: Led by De Minaur and Fritz, Team World lifted the trophy 12 months ago in San Francisco. They return, alongside Alexander Bublik, Learner Tien, Francisco Cerundolo and Brandon Nakashima, who complete this year's roster. Team Europe have won five of the past eight editions.

4) Laver Cup Returns To Federer’s Retirement Venue: The Laver Cup returns to The O2 in London for the first time since 2022, when Roger Federer brought his glittering career to a close alongside longtime rivals Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

5) #NextGenATP Jodar Makes Debut: Following a tough first-round loss to Buyunchaokete at the US Open, Rafael Jodar quickly responded with a convincing Davis Cup victory over Cristian Garin. The 19-year-old Spaniard, who has enjoyed a meteoric rise in 2026, will reach another milestone when he makes his Laver Cup debut.