The China Open at Beijing’s National Tennis Center pulsed with life as October’s golden light bathed the courts, blending the rhythmic thwack of baseline rallies with the raw emotion of human triumph and turmoil. As the tournament surged into its second week, it became a vivid tapestry of tennis’s highs and lows: heart-stopping losses, gritty fightbacks, and off-court moments that showcased the charisma of its stars. At the heart of the spectacle, Emma Raducanu and Amanda Anisimova, two of the women’s game’s brightest talents, faced an unexpected adversary—not a rival player, but a tireless, mechanical “literal robot” in a promotional stunt that left them breathless and chuckling. Meanwhile, Lorenzo Musetti transformed heartbreak into steely resolve after a crushing defeat, and Jannik Sinner and Jack Draper swapped rackets for cameras, proving their star power extends far beyond the baseline. This was Beijing: where athletic precision met unscripted passion, and every swing carried a story.
The festivities kicked off with a burst of playfulness before the main draw even began. On the practice courts, under a sun that turned the hardcourt into a shimmering stage, Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, and Anisimova, the 23-year-old American riding a wave after her US Open final run, joined a Nike-sponsored “Just Do It Challenge.” The twist? A reprogrammed ball machine, dubbed the “robot,” that hopped and skittered, forcing players to leap with every shot in a chaotic blend of tennis and acrobatics. Raducanu, her frame fluid as she twisted for a mid-air volley, landed early winners before the machine’s relentless pace overwhelmed her. “It’s like facing a literal robot—no fatigue, no mercy,” she said with a grin, brushing sweat from her forehead as her quads protested. Anisimova, whose forehands crack like thunder, tried to overpower the contraption, only to find her shots swallowed by its unending rhythm. “I thought I could outmuscle it, but nope—it’s got infinite stamina,” she laughed, sharing a high-five with Raducanu as the session ended. Joined by Naomi Osaka’s quiet intensity, Mirra Andreeva’s teenage spark, and Karen Khachanov’s towering presence, the group’s viral clips—full of banter and slo-mo leaps—set social media ablaze, offering a glimpse of these stars’ humanity before the tournament’s grind. For Raducanu, whose Chinese heritage via her mother Renee Zhai makes Beijing a homecoming, it was a joyful prelude; for Anisimova, fresh off toppling Iga Swiatek, it was a spark to ignite her campaign.
When the real matches began, the stakes sharpened. Raducanu, seeded 30th and ranked No. 31, stormed into the second round with a 6-3, 6-3 masterclass over Cristina Bucsa, fending off seven of eight break points with a blend of laser serves and bold net rushes. The win, her 14th straight first-round victory, underscored her resilience amid a career shadowed by injuries and expectations since her New York miracle. Facing a looming third-round clash with No. 7 Jessica Pegula, who holds a 2-1 head-to-head edge from a 2022 three-set thriller, Raducanu radiated quiet confidence. “I’ve got nothing to lose here—it’s about building on the momentum,” she said, her Mandarin-laced post-match chat earning roars from the Beijing crowd, a nod to her half-Chinese roots. Anisimova, meanwhile, obliterated Britain’s Katie Boulter 6-1, 6-3, her 120 mph serves leaving her opponent reeling. The victory, a bold follow-up to her US Open heroics, sets her on a collision course with potential quarterfinal foe Coco Gauff, though threats like Elena Rybakina’s power or Jasmine Paolini’s cunning loom large. “After that robot beat us silly, I’m just glad to be back hitting against humans,” Anisimova quipped, her charm masking a fierce hunger in a draw packed with 12 major winners, from Swiatek’s six Slams to Sabalenka’s baseline dominance.
The men’s draw crackled with its own drama. Top seed Jannik Sinner, world No. 1, survived a second-round wobble against qualifier Terence Atmane, dropping a set before unleashing a 6-0 bagel to close 6-4, 5-7, 6-0. The Italian, a 2024 Beijing finalist undone by Carlos Alcaraz, thrives on these hard courts, winning nine of his last 10 matches here. Off-court, he and Britain’s Jack Draper, the 23-year-old No. 12 whose summer semifinal spree has him soaring, ditched rackets for a Vogue Man China photoshoot. Draper, all 6-foot-4 of effortless swagger, owned the lens in sharp suits. “Tennis is my first love, but this? It’s a fun detour—feels like serving up style,” he said, trading laughs with Sinner about Beijing’s street food scene. Sinner, the magazine’s September star, exuded calm intensity: “It’s a reminder that we’re more than just the game—time to pose, time to play.” Their bond, forged in Nike camps, lightened a draw heavy with Alexander Zverev’s serves, Daniil Medvedev’s chess-like returns, and Andrey Rublev’s fiery passion.
In the quieter corners, Lorenzo Musetti, 23, carried the weight of a bruised heart. Days earlier, he’d collapsed in tears after losing his fifth straight final at the Chengdu Open to Alejandro Tabilo, a three-set epic that exposed his title-match fragility. Yet, in Beijing, he turned pain into purpose. “It’s just a matter of time—I know my game is there, building every day,” he told reporters, his Instagram echoing defiance with training clips captioned: “Tears fuel the fire. Back stronger.” Unseeded but dangerous, Musetti’s one-handed backhand—Federer-esque in its elegance—faces Jakub Mensik in the opener, with a potential Sinner quarterfinal dangling. His artistry, from topspin lobs to net finesse, could upend a field led by five top-10 stars.
As Beijing builds to its crescendo, the China Open hums with narratives of redemption and flair. Raducanu chases a heritage-driven breakthrough, Anisimova eyes a crowning moment, Musetti fights his demons with poetic strokes, and Sinner and Draper blend court dominance with off-court dazzle. From robotic routs to tear-fueled resolve, this tournament is a canvas of ambition, where every player—from Swiatek’s looming shadow to Gauff’s title defense—writes their own saga. In Beijing, tennis’s rising emperors and queens are crafting an epic, one defiant shot at a time.
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