ATP Tour

Alcaraz leads Tokyo field, Zverev & Djokovic headline Beijing

Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic are among the sport’s biggest stars in action this week.

Alcaraz leads the field at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships, where home favourite Kei Nishikori will compete in the final tournament of his career. Denmark’s Holger Rune is also in Tokyo, playing in his first ATP Tour event since last October. Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe and Rafael Jodar are also in the star-studded draw.

Zverev and Djokovic headline the China Open in Beijing. The reigning Roland Garros and US Open champion Zverev looks to build upon his momentum and continue his pursuit of becoming the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings. Djokovic puts his undefeated Beijing record to the test. Felix Auger-Aliassime, Flavio Cobolli and Daniil Medvedev are also competing in China.

ATPTour.com looks at five things to watch at each event:

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN TOKYO
1) Alcaraz returns as defending champion: The Spaniard won the Tokyo title on debut last year, defeating 2022 champion Taylor Fritz in the final. Alcaraz was sidelined with a right wrist injury from mid-April until the US Open. The 23-year-old – seeking his third title of 2026, having triumphed at the Australian Open and in Doha – faces Alex Michelsen in the first round.

2) Nishikori takes final bow: Japanese star Nishikori will play the final tournament of his career. It will be a fitting farewell for the 36-year-old, who reached a career-high No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings in 2015 and amassed 12 ATP Tour titles. Nishikori was champion at the tournament in 2012 and again in 2014 and opens his 2026 campaign against second seed Frances Tiafoe.

3) Rune returns to ATP Tour: Former World No. 4 Rune will compete in his first ATP Tour event since suffering an achilles tear last October. The 23-year-old made his return while representing Denmark in Davis Cup action two weeks ago. Rune reached the Tokyo semi-finals in 2024.

4) American stars Fritz & Tiafoe back in Tokyo: Flashback to 2022 and Fritz completed a perfect five-day stretch, claiming the Tokyo trophy after spending seven days in hotel quarantine upon arrival in Asia. It was that crazy week when Fritz, who defeated countryman Tiafoe in the final, secured his Top 10 debut. Tiafoe has played some of his best tennis this season, evident by the new career-high PIF ATP Ranking he reached on 14 September: World No. 8.

5) #NextGenATP Jodar continues rapid rise: This time last year, Jodar was a relatively unknown teenager just inside the Top 300 and still enrolled at the University of Virginia. But the Spaniard, who turned 20 years old on 17 September, has quickly made his breakthrough to become one of the ATP Tour’s most dangerous opponents. Jodar, ninth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, is chasing a spot at the Nitto ATP Finals. He is also first in the PIF ATP Live Next Gen Race To Reggio Calabria.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN BEIJING
1) Recent US Open champion Zverev is top seed: The German returns to Beijing for the seventh time, this year as a two-time major titlist. Zverev broke his Grand Slam duck at Roland Garros and secured his second major crown at the US Open. Holding the top spot in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, Zverev looks to add to his memorable season by lifting his first Beijing title. The 29-year-old meets lefty Cameron Norrie in the first round and has won 46 of his past 47 matches against left handers.

2) Djokovic returns to familiar grounds: The 101-time tour-level titlist Djokovic has been unstoppable in Beijing, capturing six titles in as many appearances. The 39-year-old has tallied a perfect 29-0 record in the Chinese capital according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. This year marks the first time since 2015 that the Serbian is competing at the ATP 500 event. Djokovic opens against Nuno Borges and takes a 1-0 lead into the pair's Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

3) Second seed Auger-Aliassime chasing Turin berth: The 26-year-old Canadian is fresh off recording a milestone 300th tour-level career win in Davis Cup action. At 12th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, Auger-Aliassime has ground to make up in his pursuit of qualification for the season finale for the third time (2022, 2025). Auger-Aliassime is making his third Beijing appearance and will aim to gain revenge against Karen Khachanov in the first round. Khachanov defeated Auger-Aliassime en route to the semi-finals at the US Open.

4) Cobolli among Top-10 stars: Half of the Top 10 players in the PIF ATP Rankings are competing in Beijing, including World No. 7 Cobolli. This year’s Roland Garros finalist won the hard-court ATP 500 in Acapulco earlier this season, his third tour-level title. Can Cobolli add to that trophy cabinet this week?

5) Medvedev makes fourth straight appearance: Medvedev has won 21 of his 23 tour-level titles on hard courts. With a 10-3 match record in Beijing, including a final run in 2023 and semi-final appearances the past two years, Medvedev will be one to watch in China.