China Open 2026: Djokovic returns as Sinner withdrew from tournament

The 2026 China Open opens the main season of the ATP Tour’s Asian swing at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, bringing high stakes and major lineup shifts to the Diamond Court from September 30 to October 6, 2026. With a total prize pool of $3,720,165, Beijing stands as the highest-paying ATP 500 event on the tour, offering the singles champion $764,750 and 500 ranking points.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner withdrew from the tournament due to a lingering knee injury. Sinner captured the titles in both 2023 and 2025, reaching the final in all three of his appearances in the Chinese capital. His absence leaves the top seed position for Alexander Zverev, who arrives in Beijing following his recent US Open triumph.

Zverev enters the outdoor hard-court tournament as the top-seeded favorite, seeking his first title in Beijing after three previous semifinal appearances. The competitive field also includes Félix Auger-Aliassime, Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli, Alex de Minaur, Andrey Rublev, Jakub Mesik, Alexander Bublik, and Hubert Hurkacz.

Novak Djokovic returns to the China Open after 11 years of absence, following an unexpected first-round exit at the US Open that dropped him to No. 12 in the ATP rankings. The 39-year-old Serbian holds a 29-0 career record in Beijing, having claimed six titles. Djokovic announced on Instagram that he looks forward to his return to the tournament.

Schedule and Prize Money Breakdown

Matches run from September 30 through October 6, 2026, at the National Tennis Center. Daily play begins at 11:00 a.m. local time (CST, UTC+8), corresponding to 05:00 a.m. in Central European Summer Time (MESZ, UTC+2), with the exception of the semifinals and the final.

The tournament schedule unfolds across the following dates:

First Round: Wednesday, Sept. 30, and Thursday, Oct. 1, starting at 11:00 CST (05:00 MESZ)
Round of 16: Friday, Oct. 2, and Saturday, Oct. 3, starting at 11:00 CST (05:00 MESZ)
Quarterfinals: Sunday, Oct. 4, starting at 11:00 CST (05:00 MESZ)
Semifinals: Monday, Oct. 5, starting at 15:00 CST (09:00 MESZ)
Final: Tuesday, Oct. 6, not before 19:00 CST (13:00 MESZ)

Financial compensation scales across rounds, with first-round main-draw participants guaranteed $31,895 without ranking points. Reaching the round of 16 pays $59,805 alongside 50 points, while a quarterfinal appearance yields $112,035 and 100 points. Semifinalists collect $219,925 and 200 points, and the runner-up takes home $411,480 and 330 points.

German and Austrian Entries

Jan-Lennard Struff holds a spot on the tournament’s entry list, positioning him for a main-draw appearance in Beijing. Yannick Hanfmann and Daniel Altmaier are slated to compete through the qualifying rounds. No Austrian players feature in the main draw or the qualifying brackets.