ATP Tour
Scouting Report: Musetti & Rublev lead Chengdu, Hangzhou fields, Alcaraz in Laver Cup motion
An govt abstract of what each fan ought to know concerning the coming week
September 15, 2025
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Lorenzo Musetti and Andrey Rublev are in ATP 250 motion this week, whereas Carlos Alcaraz competes on the Laver Cup.
By ATP Employees
The ATP Tour’s 2025 Asian swing kick-starts Wednesday with an ATP 250 doubleheader in China, whereas the eighth version of the Laver Cup, that includes the No. 1 within the PIF ATP Rankings Carlos Alcaraz, will happen from 19-21 September in San Francisco.
World No. 9 Lorenzo Musetti headlines the draw on the Chengdu Open, the place the Italian is bidding to spice up his Nitto ATP Finals qualification hopes. On the Lynk & Co Hangzhou Open, former Prime 10 stars Andrey Rublev and Daniil Medvedev are the highest two seeds.
Alcaraz will intention to again up his stellar Laver Cup debut final 12 months in Berlin by guiding Workforce Europe to its second consecutive success on the groups occasion. American Taylor Fritz leads Workforce World’s bid to reclaim the trophy in San Francisco.
ATPTour.com seems to be forward at 5 issues to observe in any respect three occasions.
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN CHENGDU
1) Musetti Prime Seed: Musetti returns to Chengdu for the third consecutive 12 months. The Italian reached the semi-finals in 2023, earlier than falling to Shang Juncheng within the championship match a 12 months in the past. Musetti has double motivation this time round in Chengdu: In addition to chasing his third ATP Tour crown, he may additionally enhance his Nitto ATP Finals qualification hopes with a deep run in Sichuan province. The 23-year-old is at the moment eighth within the PIF ATP Stay Race To Turin.
2) Shang Defends Title: #NextGenATP star Shang made historical past in Chengdu a 12 months in the past, when he turned the primary Chinese language participant to win an ATP Tour title on dwelling soil. The 20-year-old has struggled with accidents and competed in simply 5 tournaments thus far in 2025, however he’ll hope to channel dwelling help to relaunch his season. Shang faces Zizou Bergs within the opening spherical.
Watch Shang defeat Musetti in 2024 Chengdu Closing:
3) Can Darderi, Wong Again Up US Open Runs?: Luciano Darderi competes because the second seed in Chengdu, the place the World No. 30 hopes to again up a third-round US Open run that solely eventual champion Alcaraz was in a position to finish. Coleman Wong additionally reached the third spherical in New York, and the Hong Kong star competes as a wild card on his Chengdu debut.
4) Prizmic On Course For Jeddah: Dino Prizmic is at the moment fourth within the PIF ATP Stay Race To Jeddah, and he can additional enhance his qualification hopes for the Subsequent Gen ATP Finals introduced by PIF in Chengdu. The 20-year-old Croatian enters the primary draw utilizing a Subsequent Gen Accelerator entry spot granted to #NextGenATP stars ranked within the Prime 250 of the PIF ATP Rankings.
5) Harrison/King Lead Doubles Area: Christian Harrison and Evan King are the highest seeds in Chengdu, the place they search to consolidate their probabilities of securing a Nitto ATP Finals debut: The People are at the moment eighth within the PIF ATP Stay Doubles Groups Rankings. Their rivals within the attract China embody two-time defending champions Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul, who’re tenth.
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN HANGZHOU
1) Rublev To Rejuvenate Turin Hopes?: The 27-year-old Rublev must engineer a late-season surge if he’s to make his sixth consecutive look on the Nitto ATP Finals. He’s at the moment eleventh within the PIF ATP Stay Race To Turin, 660 factors shy of the qualification spots. Rublev is the highest seed in Hangzhou, the place he’ll first face Aleksandar Kovacevic or Luca Nardi.
2) Medvedev Seeks Turnaround: The previous World No. 1 Medvedev has gone 3-5 since reaching the Halle closing in June, in accordance with the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. He’ll search a fast response in Hangzhou, the place he’s bidding to win his twenty first tour-level title. Medvedev may face one other former Prime 10 star and the defending Hangzhou champion, Marin Cilic, in his opening match.
Watch Cilic Clinch Emotional Hangzhou 2024 Title:
3) Dwelling Star Zhang Returns: Zhang Zhizhen competes for the primary time since Indian Wells in March as a wild card in Hangzhou. He takes on his countryman Buyunchaokete within the first rond. In the meantime Hangzhou native Wu Yibing, who’s again contained in the Prime 200 after enjoying simply six tournaments in 2024 earlier than returning to motion in March this 12 months, opens towards sixth seed Adrian Mannarino.
4) Bublik, Tien Amongst Seeds: Alexander Bublik, who has received 11 of his previous 12 matches, could have loads of current success to construct on because the third seed in Hangzhou. Additionally competing is #NextGenATP star Learner Tien, the 19-year-old seventh seed making his first ATP Tour look in China.
5) Cabral/Miedler Headline Doubles Draw: Francisco Cabral and Lucas Miedler are the top-seeded doubles group in Hangzhou, the place they’re chasing their second ATP 250 crown of the 12 months. People Robert Money and JJ Tracy, the current US Open semi-finalists, are the second seeds.
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH AT LAVER CUP
1) Alcaraz Again In Motion As No. 1: For the primary time since September 2023, Alcaraz will compete because the No. 1 participant within the PIF ATP Rankings when he takes to court docket on the Laver Cup in San Francisco. The Spaniard made a direct affect on occasion debut in 2024 in Berlin, the place he received eight factors from 4 matches in Workforce Europe’s 13-11 triumph.
2) Prime 10 Expertise Powers Workforce World: World No. 5 Taylor Fritz and No. 8 Alex de Minaur will spearhead Workforce World’s bid to recapture the Laver Cup trophy in entrance of its dwelling followers. Fritz is competing on the occasion for the fifth time, together with triumphs in London in 2022 and Vancouver in 2023. Australia’s De Minaur returns for his second look after additionally that includes in Workforce World’s London win.
3) New Captains Agassi, Noah: The eighth version of the Laver Cup brings with it new captains for each groups. Andre Agassi has changed his fellow ATP No. 1 Membership member John McEnroe as Workforce World captain, with one other former World No. 1 Patrick Rafter as vice-captain. Frenchman Yannick Noah takes over from Bjorn Borg as Workforce Europe captain, with Tim Henman his vice-captain.
4) #NextGenATP Stars Make Debut: Two of the ATP Tour’s hottest skills will make their Laver Cup debut in California. Czechia’s Jakub Mensik, who lifted his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Miami in March, performs for Workforce Europe. Brazilian Joao Fonseca, the reigning Subsequent Gen ATP Finals introduced by PIF champion, represents Workforce World.
5) Distinctive Format: As in all earlier editions, the Laver Cup shall be performed over three days, from 19-21 September, throughout 5 periods. Every match win is price one level on Friday, two factors on Saturday and three factors on a high-stakes Sunday. The primary group to achieve 13 factors (out of a doable 24) wins the Laver Cup.
