Alexander Zverev continued his strong 2026 season on Thursday by defeating Britain’s Cameron Norrie 7-6(1), 6-4 at the China Open in Beijing.
The German second seed secured his place in the round of 16 and will next face China’s Juncheng Shang. Zverev has already won two Grand Slam titles this season and is currently ranked No. 2 in the world. Reuters reported that he has also recorded 28 hard-court wins this year.
In Tokyo, top seed Carlos Alcaraz also moved into the round of 16 after beating Alex Michelsen 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-1. However, the Japan Open saw several seeded players eliminated, including Taylor Fritz, Brandon Nakashima and Casper Ruud.
The tournament in Tokyo also marked the end of Kei Nishikori’s professional career. The Japanese former world No. 4 lost 6-4, 6-4 to Frances Tiafoe in his final match before retirement. Nishikori was the first Asian man to reach a Grand Slam singles final when he reached the 2014 US Open final.
Attention now turns to the next round of matches in Beijing and Tokyo, with several major names still competing as the Asian swing continues.
