Chinese fans flock to Iga Swiatek, Danielle Collins launches signature paddle line as Jannik Sinner repeats as China Open champion

In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, Jannik Sinner stole the spotlight as the China Open champion after overcoming Learner Tien and took to social media to share images of his celebrations with his team, receiving congratulations from his colleague—and Beijing rival—Alex de Minaur.

Meanwhile, the China Open social media accounts shared a behind-the-scenes look at the great stars of the ATP and WTA tour who were in the training gyms, including Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Daniil Medvedev, and Zheng Qinwen. Separately, Juan Martín Del Potro expressed thanks for his nomination to the Tennis Hall of Fame, while Danielle Collins surprised fans with a collaboration for her own line of pickleball paddles.

Italy's Jannik Sinner was crowned champion of the ATP 500 China Open after defeating 19-year-old American Learner Tien in the final with a convincing double 6-2 scoreline in one hour and 12 minutes. The World No. 2 celebrated his new title on social media with several photos and received a response from his colleague Alex de Minaur, whom he defeated in the Beijing semifinals. "Too Good mate," De Minaur commented on the Instagram post.

With this conquest, Sinner adds the 21st title of his career and the third of the season, following his victories at Wimbledon and the Australian Open. He also crowns himself champion of the Chinese tournament again, having previously lifted the trophy in 2023 by defeating Daniil Medvedev. His next challenge will be at the Shanghai Masters, where he is the top seed following the withdrawal of Carlos Alcaraz.

Danielle Collins surprised fans with a unique partnership to launch her own collection of pickleball paddles, as she enjoys her off-season having ended her 2025 year after the US Open. The former World No. 7 partnered with TecniFibre to release a full line of pickleball paddles under the brand name 'DAnimal'.

The American did not have a great season on the tour, with a 15-14 record, no titles, and sitting at World No. 68 at this point in the year. 'DAnimal' lost the Top 10 position she achieved last season and failed to find consistency due to injuries. Following her first-round elimination at Flushing Meadows against Jaqueline Cristian, the 31-year-old opted to skip the Asian Swing and conclude her season. She defends no points for the rest of the year, so she shouldn't see a significant drop heading into 2026.

The cameras in the China Open gym captured behind-the-scenes moments of the players' training, showing intense concentration during physical conditioning for stars like Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Zheng Qinwen. There was also time for some fun, including jokes from Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, and a soccer game between Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini. The China Open released a video showing some of the best moments captured by the gym cameras.

The tournament is entering its final stage after Jannik Sinner claimed the title in the men's draw. Only the women's quarterfinals remain, where this Thursday defending champion Coco Gauff will take the court against Eva Lys, while in the second match, Jasmine Paolini and Amanda Anisimova will face off for a spot in the semifinals.

This Wednesday, Iga Swiatek took the court to face Emma Navarro and suffered a painful defeat, which included a bagel in the third set. However, the six-time Grand Slam champion can take some positives from her time in Beijing: she was once again a fan favorite among the Chinese public, generating large crowds at her practice sessions before the match with Navarro.

A video shared by Tennis Channel and the WTA shows Swiatek being closely followed by dozens of local fans who attended the practice courts to watch her pre-competition work. Swiatek thanked them for their support, approaching them to sign autographs and take photos. The World No. 2 was defeated in the fourth round and is preparing for her next challenge at the Wuhan Open starting next week.

Belinda Bencic was eliminated in the Round of 16 of the China Open in a tough battle against defending champion Coco Gauff. The match was marked by controversy after Bencic accused Gauff of "mind games" and had a heated exchange, complaining about alleged distractions from Gauff's team during her serves.

Despite the controversy, Bencic is moving past the polemics and shared a post on social media after her campaign in Beijing—where she claimed wins against Katie Volynets and Priscilla Hon before being eliminated by Gauff. The World No. 15's next challenge will be in Wuhan, where she will be the 12th seed.

announcement of the Class of 2026 nominees for the International Tennis Hall of Fame, which includes 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer. He was not the only nominee, as he is joined by four-time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova and former 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro, who is also an Olympic medalist and Davis Cup champion.

The Argentine former World No. 3 expressed his thanks on social media for the recognition from the International Tennis Hall of Fame—where he, Federer, and Kuznetsova await the public vote that will determine whether their names will join the sport's Hall of Honor. The Class of 2025 included the Bryan brothers (Mike and Bob) and five-time major champion Maria Sharapova.

"What an honor and a privilege to be nominated for such a recognition. Thank you very much @TennisHalloFame"