Beijing ATP 500 2026: Djokovic stays perfect, Zverev advances and Buse exits

The 2026 Beijing ATP 500 has already delivered major first-round headlines. Novak Djokovic returned with a win that extended his perfect tournament record, Alexander Zverev came through a demanding opener and Peru’s Ignacio Buse was knocked out by Quentin Halys.

The China Open is played on outdoor hard courts at Beijing’s National Tennis Centre and runs through Tuesday, October 6. These are the results that shaped the opening round and the matches coming next.

Djokovic returns and moves to 30-0

Djokovic defeated Portugal’s Nuno Borges 6-3, 7-6(2). It was his first Beijing match since winning the 2015 final and lifted his tournament record to a perfect 30-0.

The Serbian is the China Open’s record six-time champion. He will next face China’s Buyunchaokete, who beat Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.

Zverev advances as two leading seeds fall

Top seed Alexander Zverev had to navigate a tight opening set before beating Cameron Norrie 7-6(1), 6-4. The German remains in contention in the top half of the draw.

The opening round also produced two notable exits. Karen Khachanov removed second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-3, while Roman Safiullin defeated fourth seed Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 6-2.

Alex de Minaur, Jakub Mensik, Hubert Hurkacz, Francisco Cerundolo and Andrey Rublev also booked their places in the second round.

Halys ends Ignacio Buse’s singles run

Peru’s singles campaign ended in the first round. Quentin Halys beat Ignacio Buse 6-1, 7-6(3), taking control of the opening set before closing the match in a second-set tie-break.

Halys will now meet Alex de Minaur, who defeated Mariano Navone 7-6(4), 6-2. Buse leaves the singles draw after playing his first match at the Beijing tournament.

Beijing ATP 500 schedule and where to watch

• When: the main draw runs from September 30 to October 6. Friday’s play starts no earlier than 1 p.m. in Beijing — midnight in Peru and 5 a.m. UTC. Night sessions begin at 7 p.m. in Beijing, or 6 a.m. in Peru.
• Final: the title match is scheduled for Tuesday, October 6, not before 7 p.m. in Beijing — 6 a.m. in Peru and 11 a.m. UTC.
• Where to watch in Peru: ESPN and Disney+. Match availability can vary by feed and daily programming.
• Venue: National Tennis Centre in Beijing, on outdoor hard courts.

Play on hard court before the next round

Beijing rewards quick reactions and the ability to accelerate through the ball. In TennisHero you can select the hard court and turn your phone into the racket: swing with your hand and your player responds on your TV or laptop screen.

Three ways to get into rhythm before the second round:

1. Work on your serve. Use a full motion to generate more speed.
2. Switch to Hard mode. Aim with the racket face and time your swing more precisely.
3. Challenge a friend online. Send an invitation link and play a match from your own homes.

New here? How to play explains everything in a minute.