The China Open takes precedence this week albeit less so from an ATP standpoint sitting on ATP 500 status but with two of the best in the world leading the line-up. The draw has now been completed for the tournament taking place between 26 September - 2 October 2024.
A 32 player draw, it is led by defending champion Jannik Sinner. He faces off against Nicolas Jarry in the opening round. Defeating Daniil Medvedev in the final last year and breaking a long streak of losses against him, this tournament has huge importance to the Italian.
It brought about the rise of the now World No.1 after he puked in a bin during his match in Beijing. After that he ironically became an all conquering tennis force. He went on to beat Medvedev, win multiple times against Novak Djokovic and then claim the Australian Open and US Open titles.
Now he returns a year on in his first action since the US Open. He decided against playing the Davis Cup and was given the blessing of the tournament captain to skip last week. He still appears in the Last Eight line-up. But now he is here for the Asian swing. This also includes the Shanghai Masters which should also include Djokovic.
It is a busy time for the leading trio in Beijing also including Medvedev with the Six Kings Slam also in a couple of weeks. Alcaraz in particular due to playing Laver Cup won't really stop until the end of the season now. He will face rising French upstart Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. The winner takes on Miomir Kecmanovic or Tallon Griekspoor.
Medvedev also has an intriguing first round tie. He faces Gael Monfils. The winner then faces Lorenzo Sonego or Adrian Mannarino. Andrey Rublev is fourth seed and faces Pablo Carreno Busta then potentially Alejandro Davidovich Fokina or Zhizhen Zhang. Grigor Dimitrov could be on a collision course with Jiri Lehecka as fifth seed.
Also in Sinner's section, Jan-Lennard Struff faces Stan Wawrinka and if the Italian can get past Jarry. He faces the winner. What shouldn't be a great line-up on paper due to it being an ATP 500 certainly delivers.