Bublik and Musetti Set for China Open Showdowns

BEIJING, China — Alexander Bublik, the recent champion of the Hangzhou Open, faces off against Adrian Mannarino in the first round of the China Open on Friday. Meanwhile, Lorenzo Musetti will take on Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, a rematch of their previous three encounters.

Mpetshi Perricard is known as a challenging opponent, but Musetti has a solid record against him, winning all three previous matches. Their last battle took place at the 2025 U.S. Open, where Musetti won in four sets. Musetti, currently ranked 16th, is coming off a runner-up finish in Chengdu and shows no signs of slowing down as he heads into Beijing.

Despite Mpetshi Perricard’s strong serve making him a formidable competitor, his year has been rocky with a record of 14-20 as he prepares to face Musetti, who is favored to win. Predictions lean towards Musetti winning in straight sets.

On the other side of the bracket, 28-year-old Bublik, ranked 16th in the world, has enjoyed a successful year, claiming four titles. He recently defeated Valentin Royer to win in Hangzhou, and his current form makes him a strong contender against 60th-ranked Mannarino, who has struggled with consistency this season.

The two players met previously in Doha in 2020, where Bublik won their match 6-3, 6-4. With both players demonstrating recent performance upticks, Bublik is expected to win again, possibly in two sets.

In other matches, Flavio Cobolli will face Andrey Rublev, marking their second meeting. Cobolli won their last matchup in the Hamburg final earlier this year. Rublev comes to Beijing after a quick exit in Hangzhou but has a good track record in this tournament.

Cerundolo, returning from Laver Cup duties, will play against Learner Tien, who recently enjoyed success in Chengdu and will look to advance past the Argentine player.

The China Open promises competitive matchups as players vie for crucial ATP rankings points. In the first round, all eyes will be on how Bublik and Musetti perform against their opponents.