20 years since Beijing bowed! Champions in the Chinese capital

For the past 20 years, Beijing has been home to the China Open, an outdoor hard-court tournament that features some of the biggest names on the ATP Tour.

The ATP 500, a combined event since its inception in 2004 after the WTA Tour moved the WTA 1000 from Shanghai, has been won by a host of notable champions including Marat Safin, Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and most recently Jannik Sinner.

In preparation for the 20th edition of the event, ATPTour.com looks back at some of the men’s singles champions in Beijing.

(ATP APP)

2004: Safin, the first Beijing champion

There could hardly have been a more outspoken first champion in Beijing than Safin. The former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings entered the inaugural ATP 500 as the fifth seed and he did not drop a set all week.

Safin’s dominance in the Chinese capital led to a thrilling run on the hard courts, with him winning ATP Masters 1000 events in Madrid and Paris later that year before claiming his second Grand Slam title at the 2005 Australian Open.

Marat Safin lifts the trophy during the first China Open in 2004. Goh Chai Hin/AFP via Getty Images

2005 & 2017: Nadal wins in Beijing

Nadal won the title in Beijing on his debut in 2005 and most recently in 2017. He defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero and Guillermo Coria en route to the 2005 title, a title run that came in the midst of his stunning breakthrough season in which he won a total of 11 tour-level titles.

Twelve years later, in 2017, the Spaniard triumphed again in Beijing, despite conceding two match points in his first-round match against former world number 10 Lucas Pouille. Nadal defeated three opponents from the Top 20 of the PIF ATP Rankings — John Isner, Grigor Dimitrov and Nick Kyrgios — to conclude his run in the Chinese capital.

“It’s an important title for me,” Nadal said after his 2017 triumph. “The last year I had the trophy was in 2005. In 2005 I never thought that I would continue playing tennis in 2017… I’m very happy.”

_{^{Rafael Nadal wins the 2017 Beijing title. Photo credit: Etienne Oliveau/Getty Images}}

2008: Roddick, the only American winner of Beijing

In 2008, Andy Roddick made history by becoming the first and only American to win a title at the China Open.

The 2003 US Open winner claimed his fifth and final ATP 500 title in Beijing, where he defeated fellow countryman and former world No. 1 Ferrero in the quarter-finals and Dudi Sela in the final.

Andy Roddick in action during the 2008 Beijing Championship match. Photo credit: Andrew Wong/Getty Images

2009-10, 2012-15: The Djokovic dynasty in Beijing

Novak Djokovic has become synonymous with the Beijing tournament. The Serb has a 29-0 record at the ATP 500.

In 2009, the Serbian defeated Marin Cilic in straight sets to win his first China Open title. The victory over the Croat opened the door to years of Djokovic dominance in the Chinese capital, with titles in five of the next six years. (2009-10, 2012-15)The former world No. 1 has won the China Open six times, a tournament record, without losing a single set in the final.

“This is absolutely fantastic, one of the best performances I’ve had in my career,” Djokovic said ahead of his 2015 championship match with Nadal. “Every time I come back I have these positive, great memories of the success, the great performances I had on centre court, the support, just the overall feeling is very positive. I try to use that to my advantage.”

Novak Djokovic defeats Rafael Nadal in the final of the 2015 China Open. Photo credit: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

2016: Amidst Murray magic

Andy Murray arrived in Beijing in 2016 against the backdrop of a remarkable year. The Scot was in the midst of an incredible season that saw him become the first player to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals, while also winning the Wimbledon Championships and reaching two other major finals (Australian Open, French Open).

At the 2016 China Open, Murray capped a dominant year by defeating two former top 10 players to win his first China Open title. Murray won 26 matches in a row and finished the year as the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF.

^{Andy Murray won his only Beijing title in 2016. Photo: Emmanuel Wong/Getty Images}

2023: Sinner Blooms in Beijing

One of the key moments of Jannik Sinner’s breakthrough 2023 season came in Beijing, where he defeated two Top 3 players, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev, to take the title. Medvedev had won all six of their previous Lexus ATP Head2Head matches.

Sinner’s impressive form continued into 2024, when he won his first major at the Australian Open, before becoming the first Italian to reach No. 1 on the PIF ATP Rankings in June.

With these historic moments in mind, the stage has been set for this year’s edition of the China Open, which will be played from September 26 to October 2.

Will a Chinese man break through and triumph on home soil? Zhang Zhizhen, who recently won the silver medal in mixed doubles at the Paris Olympics, is the country’s biggest hope. Other favorites to watch are #NextGenATP Shang Juncheng and Koopunchaokete.

(NEWSLETTER FORM)