Beijing
Zverev, De Minaur among Turin contenders to advance in Beijing
Mannarino halts in-form Bublik’s run at Chinese ATP 500 event
September 26, 2025
Getty Images/China Open
Alexander Zverev is up to third in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, while Alex de Minaur is eighth.
By Jerome Coombe
Alexander Zverev, Alex de Minaur and Jakub Mensik were among the players who strengthened their hopes of qualifying for the season finale on Friday at the China Open in Beijing, where they secured crucial wins.
De Minaur consolidated his position at eighth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin by defeating home favourite Buyunchaokete 6-4, 6-0. With a Tour-leading 32 wins on hard courts this season, the Australian is aiming to make his second appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals, having made his debut in 2024.
#NextGenATP Czech Jakub Mensik moved up on spot to 18th in the Live Race with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Miomir Kecmanovic. While he remains 1,115 points adrift of De Minaur in the qualification spots, the 20-year-old will be hopeful of his chances as the ATP Tour season comes to a close on hard courts.
Mensik reached the quarter-finals at the ATP Masters 1000 in Shanghai last year on his debut and then captured his maiden trophy at that level this year in Miami, where he stunned Novak Djokovic in the final.
View the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin
Next in the Chinese capital, De Minaur plays Arthur Rinderknech. The 30-year-old Frenchman fell to David Goffin in the final round of qualifying, but exacted quick revenge with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win against the Belgian just two days later in the main draw as a lucky loser.
Mensik set a second-round meeting with qualifier Arthur Cazaux, who rallied past home wild card Shang Juncheng 0-6, 7-6(5), 7-5 in the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head clash.
Zverev sealed his spot in the second round by dismissing Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 6-3 and improving to 6-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. The two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion, who is up to third in the Live Race, has reached the Beijing semi-finals in three of his past four main-draw appearances.
He will next face Corentin Moutet, who backed up his semi-final run in Hangzhou by moving past Tallon Griekspoor 6-4, 7-5. The unpredictable Frenchman is competing at a career-high No. 37 in the PIF ATP Rankings and has notched 26 tour-level wins this year — two shy of doubling his previous best tally of 14 wins from 2022.
After lifting his fourth trophy of the season in Hangzhou last week, Alexander Bublik rose three spots to 12th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. However, he was unable to capitalise on his run of form in his opener in Beijing, where he fell to Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-2.
Watch Mannarino end Bublik’s run:
Known for his supreme serving, Bublik hit just three aces to Mannarino’s eight and failed to convert any of the three break points he carved out, according to Infosys ATP Stats. The Kazakhstani will now head to Shanghai, where he will aim to keep pace in his quest for a maiden qualification at the Nitto ATP Finals.
Mannarino’s next opponent is another player aiming to make his debut at the year-end championships, Lorenzo Musetti, who overcame the big-hitting Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6(3), 6-7(4), 6-4 in two hours, 24 minutes.
Musetti suffered his second consecutive Chengdu final defeat on Tuesday, but bounced back with a hard-fought win in Beijing. The 23-year-old Italian, who is seventh in the Live Race, bids to join the already-qualified Jannik Sinner on home soil in Turin, which would be his debut appearance.
