'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Carlos Alcaraz is set to headline the action at the upcoming China Open alongside the likes of Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev. The 23rd edition of the men’s event will commence on September 26 and run till October 2.
Alcaraz arrives in Beijing with a 43-9 win-loss record for the season and three titles under his belt, from Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and Indian Wells. He will look to capitalize on his highly successful past couple of weeks, with the Spanish team in the Davis Cup group stage and with Team Europe at the Laver Cup.
This will be his second appearance at the National Tennis Center in Beijing. He made his debut here last year, defeating Yannick Hanfmann, Lorenzo Musetti, and Casper Ruud before losing to Sinner in the semifinals.
Trending
Set to kick off his 2024 campaign against promising French youngster Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the opening round, here’s a look at Alcaraz's projected path to the final.
Carlos Alcaraz's 1R opponent - Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
Carlos Alcaraz will begin his 2024 China Open campaign against world No. 51 Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
Perricard holds a 10-8 record this season and claimed his first ATP title this year in Lyon back in May, defeating Tomas Martin Etcheverry in a thrilling three-set final. He also impressed at Wimbledon with a fourth-round finish, going out to Lorenzo Musetti.
The young Frenchman has been hugely impressive on the Challenger circuit, winning three titles: the Nottingham Challenger and the Morelos and Seguros Opens, both in Mexico.
Alcaraz and Perricard have never faced each other on the ATP tour. Given Alcaraz's current form, he is favored to win this encounter in straight sets.
Carlos Alcaraz's probable 2R opponent - Tallon Griekspoor
World No. 39 Tallon Griekspoor could potentially face Carlos Alcaraz in the second round, provided he gets past Miomir Kecmanovic in his opening match.
Griekspoor enters Beijing with a 25-23 record for the year, highlights of which are semifinal runs in Rotterdam and 's-Hertogenbosch. His North American hardcourt swing was largely underwhelming, as he lost in the first round in both Montreal and Cincinnati. He did salvage some pride with a third-round finish at the US Open.
He most recently featured for the Netherlands at the Davis Cup, where he recorded a 1-2 singles record. He lost to Flavio Cobolli and Zizou Bergs but secured a victory against Thiago Monteiro, helping the team advance to the knockout stage against Spain.
Alcaraz leads Griekspoor 3-0 in their head-to-head, winning their most recent encounter 6-1, 7-6 (3) at the Olympics earlier this year, and will be expected to make it through this contest with relative ease.
Carlos Alcaraz's probable QF opponent - Karen Khachanov
Karen Khachanov could pose Carlos Alcaraz's first real test in Beijing, as the two may meet in the quarterfinals. The Russian, however, will likely need to defeat Francisco Cerundolo to reach that stage.
The Russian has had a subpar season by his usual standards, as reflected in his 24-18 record. He started the year strong, reaching the fourth round in Melbourne and the semifinals in Marseille, and he later won the title in Qatar by defeating Jakub Mensik in the final.
Khachanov has since struggled with consistency, particularly on grass and the North American hardcourt. He suffered disappointing second-round and first-round losses at Wimbledon and the US Open, respectively. Last week, he competed at the Hangzhou Open as the defending champion but was eliminated in the first round by home favorite Yunchaokete Bu.
Alcaraz leads Khachanov 3-0 in their head-to-head and will be the favorite to make it 4-0 should they face off in Beijing. It will be their first meeting on the hardcourt, their previous matches having come on the red clay.
Carlos Alcaraz's probable SF opponent - Daniil Medvedev
Last year’s runner-up Daniil Medvedev could potentially face Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling semifinal showdown if both advance through their respective quarters of the draw.
Medvedev has a 39-16 win-loss record this season and is still searching for his first title. His best results so far include reaching the finals of the Australian Open and the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
He suffered a disappointing North American hardcourt swing, losing in the second rounds in both Montreal and Cincinnati and going out in the quarterfinals of the US Open, failing to defend his runner-up points from 2023.
Medvedev most recently represented Team Europe at the Laver Cup. Despite losing both of his matches in the match tie-breaker, he celebrated a championship victory with his team.
Alcaraz and Medvedev have faced off 7 times on tour with the Spaniard currently leading their head-to-head 5-2. A tantalizing clash could await fans in China should the two meet.
Carlos Alcaraz's probable Final opponent - Jannik Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner could potentially meet for the tenth time in their budding rivalry should they both navigate through their respective halves of the draw.
Sinner enters Beijing as the defending champion, having defeated Daniil Medvedev in last year's final in two tie-break sets. He boasts an impressive 55-5 win-loss record for the season and will be looking to capture his seventh title in 2024, having been victorious at the Australian Open and the US Open, along with title wins in Miami, Cincinnati, Rotterdam, and Halle. He last competed at the US Open, where he secured his second Grand Slam title by outclassing Taylor Fritz in the final in straight sets.
Alcaraz currently leads their head-to-head 5-4, having won their most recent encounter in the semifinals of the French Open earlier this year. However, Sinner triumphed over him at this very venue last year.
In what could be a blockbuster clash, Sinner enters as a slight favorite due to his superior hardcourt record this year and the fact that the slightly slower court surfaces in Beijing will better suit his game. A seventh title of the season could very well be within his reach.
