A jam-packed schedule of first-round action is set for Thursday in Beijing, where Jakub Mensik kicks things off against Alexander Bublik. Chengdu runner-up Hubert Hurkacz is getting right back in gear against Learner Tien.
Alexander Bublik vs. (8) Jakub Mensik
Mensik and Bublik will be squaring off for the fourth time in their careers when they clash in round one of the China Open on Thursday. The head-to-head series stands at 2-1 in favor of Mensik, who got the job done 6-4, 6-4 on the indoor hard courts of Rotterdam in 2024 and 6-3, 6-2 on the red clay of Madrid one year later.
Although Mensik may not be completely on fire, he has won his opening match in five consecutive tournaments in seven of his last eight. This stretch includes a semifinal showing at Roland Garros and a quarterfinal effort at the Montreal Masters. Bublik once again played well on clay and grass this season, but his recent form has been unspectacular. The 20th-ranked Kazakh went away quietly in the fifth set against Tommy Paul in round three at Flushing Meadows and looked disinterested during a blowout loss to Rafael Jodar at the Laver Cup. At this point in the year, it’s hard to see Bublik’s motivation level being overly high.
Pick: Mensik in 3
(7) Learner Tien vs. Hubert Hurkacz
Hurkacz will be making a quick turnaround after finishing runner-up in Chengdu on Tuesday, when he lost to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-4, 7-6(7). That performance continued a decent run of form for the 39th-ranked Pole, who won a Challenger title in Cancun during the hard-court summer and advanced one round at the U.S. Open before losing to eventual finalist Ben Shelton in four sets.
Up first for Hurkacz in Chengdu is Tien, whom the 29-year-old has never faced. Tien is in outstanding form, up to No. 15 in the world thanks to winning 31 tour-level matches in 2026. The 20-year-old American was a semifinalist at the Montreal Masters and delivered another impressive Grand Slam result, beating Mensik en route to the last 16 at the U.S. Open. Tien will likely be too tough for Hurkacz, as any ounce of fatigue can be especially crippling against an opponent who makes you hit a ton of balls and can move you all over the court with precision groundstrokes.
Pick: Tien in 2
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Bublik vai ganhar , acreditem em mim🙏
Tien in three .Quick change to a slower court wont help Hubie