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The Beijing ATP 500 has not yet unveiled its draw, but its entry list is already enough to give the Asian swing some weight. Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Félix Auger-Aliassime and Novak Djokovic are among the first names expected from 30 September to 6 October. For a tournament positioned between the American swing and the Shanghai Masters 1000, the lineup looks every bit the serious test.
An ATP 500 with the feel of a major event
Beijing does not offer the points of a Masters 1000, but the announced field goes well beyond the bare minimum.
Beijing does not offer the points of a Masters 1000, but the announced field goes well beyond the bare minimum. Sinner, Zverev, Auger-Aliassime and Djokovic sit at the top of the list, ahead of a group that also includes Flavio Cobolli, Alex de Minaur, Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Bublik, Jakub Mensik, Andrey Rublev and Francisco Cerundolo. In other words, players will have to play cleanly from the first round, without counting on a quiet opening week to find their rhythm.
Sinner’s presence inevitably draws attention. The Italian is listed as entered even though he has not played again since Wimbledon according to the sources consulted. Beijing could therefore serve as a comeback, with everything that entails: finding his rhythm again, managing his physical condition, caution from his camp, but also an opportunity to pick up the thread before Shanghai. An entry is never an absolute guarantee of appearing in the draw, especially at this point in the season, but it already places his name at the center of the tournament.
Zverev and Djokovic, two immediate benchmarks
Zverev arrives on this list as the other major headline name. His presence gives the tournament a simple reading: Beijing could matter in the balance of the end of the season, not just in the race for points. The German has the profile to benefit from a deep field, with his serve, endurance and ability to toughen up rallies when fast courts stop forgiving much.
Djokovic, meanwhile, remains the name that changes the temperature of a draw. Even when his schedule becomes more selective, his presence raises one question for everyone: who is ready to beat him over a full week? In Beijing, it will not be only about prestige. For younger players, facing him in Asia at the end of the season could become a concrete measure of their mental strength as much as their level of play.
French players between direct entry and waiting
The French contingent also adds a small subplot to the tournament. Arthur Rinderknech is announced directly in the main draw. For him, the opportunity is clear: test himself against a strong field without going through qualifying, and take advantage of a potentially open draw if a favorite is lacking freshness.
Quentin Halys and Corentin Moutet, meanwhile, appear in the alternate or qualifying section depending on the lists consulted. Their situation could still change with withdrawals, which are common at this time of year. It is not the kind of storyline that makes the walls shake, but for a player ranked on the edge of the draw, an opening can change an entire week: saving energy, a different preparation, and sometimes a more manageable first round.
A list still in flux before the draw
Caution is still necessary. An entry list announces an intention to play, not a definitive presence on court on the day. Injuries, fatigue, scheduling choices and end-of-season priorities can alter the field until the very last moment. The withdrawal already reported of Raphaël Collignon is a reminder that these lists are still evolving before the draw is published.
That is precisely what makes Beijing interesting to follow. If the main names honor their commitments, the tournament will offer a rare distillation: a possible Sinner comeback, a Zverev expected to take charge, Djokovic as the peacemaker, and a pack of players capable of turning an ATP 500 into a week full of traps. Even before the first ball is struck, Beijing has already achieved one thing: making the Asian swing difficult to treat as just another stop on the calendar.