CHENGDU, August 24, 2026 (Media Release)
From 22 to 29 September, the Chengdu Open ATP 250 event returns to the Sichuan International Tennis Centre, bringing world-class tennis back to one of the most distinctive stops on the Asian swing. Leading the first players confirmed for 2026 are home favourite and 2024 Chengdu Open champion Juncheng Shang, Shanghai Masters champion Valentin Vacherot and Mallorca champion Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Eight has long been considered a lucky number in China, giving this year’s eighth edition particular significance as Chengdu prepares to welcome players and fans back for another memorable week of tennis. A total of USD 1,210,115 in prize money will be on offer as an international field competes for one of the final ATP Tour titles of the season.
“Each year, we look forward to welcoming some of the world’s best tennis players to Chengdu,” said Tournament Director Nikhil Waugh. “It is a fascinating host city with an incredible energy, and the players who have competed here have embraced the city and the enthusiasm of our fans.
“This September, we will welcome both new and familiar faces, and I am delighted to announce the first of our marquee players: 2024 champion Juncheng Shang, Valentin Vacherot and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. We will be announcing more players in the coming weeks, along with the full entry list, as we build towards the start of the tournament.”
For Shang, Chengdu will always hold special significance. It was here in 2024 that he captured his maiden ATP Tour title, becoming the first Chinese male player to win an ATP Tour singles title on home soil, and only the second Chinese man to win a tour-level singles title. The 21-year-old left-hander, known as ‘Jerry’ on Tour, has also made his mark at the Grand Slams and recorded victories over leading players, including Lorenzo Musetti, Frances Tiafoe, Ben Shelton, Alexander Bublik and Karen Khachanov.
After injuries sidelined him for part of the season, Shang returned to competition this summer and has already shown that his trademark fighting spirit remains intact. In Montreal earlier this month, he completed a remarkable comeback against world No. 16 Andrey Rublev, saving an incredible five match points before completing the victory. The result underlined his resilience as he prepares to return to Chengdu.
Valentin Vacherot is the highest-ranked Monegasque player in ATP Rankings history. Last October, he produced one of the great fairy-tale runs of recent years, progressing from qualifying as an alternate all the way to the ATP Masters 1000 title in Shanghai. Along the way, he defeated Novak Djokovic before overcoming his cousin, Arthur Rinderknech, in the final.
Since then, he has continued to build on that breakthrough, reaching the semi-finals of his home tournament, the Monte-Carlo Masters, where he upset Alex de Minaur and Musetti along the way. He has also reached the quarter-finals in Adelaide, Acapulco and Gstaad during 2026. These consistent performances propelled him to a career-high ranking of No. 16 in May, cementing his status as a sporting hero in the French-speaking world while earning him a growing following among tennis fans globally.
Completing the first trio is one of the ATP Tour’s most entertaining competitors, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The 27-year-old Spaniard has climbed as high as World No. 14 and built a reputation for an athletic, fearless style of tennis that has produced victories over some of the biggest names in the sport, including Novak Djokovic and Casper Ruud.
This season brought a long-awaited milestone. After finishing runner-up in five previous ATP Tour finals, Davidovich Fokina finally lifted his maiden title on the grass courts of Mallorca in June, celebrating the breakthrough on home soil in Spain. He has also reached the semi-finals in Adelaide, where he defeated fellow Chengdu entrant Vacherot, and the quarter-finals at The Queen’s Club in London and Umag.
With the first marquee names now confirmed, excitement is also building off court as tickets for the 2026 Chengdu Open officially go on sale on 24 August 2026.
“The Chengdu Open has become a wonderful celebration of tennis for the city, and Chengdu Sports Events Industry Development Co., Ltd. is proud to once again be part of bringing the tournament to life,” said a representative of the tournament’s operations partner, Chengdu Sports Events Industry Development Co., Ltd.
“What makes the week so special is seeing our fans come together to support outstanding international players as well as our Chinese players. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to the Sichuan International Tennis Centre. The special Early Bird discounts will give even more fans the opportunity to experience the Chengdu Open.”
Tickets range from RMB30 for the qualifying rounds to RMB600 for the finals and are available through Damai. An Early Bird promotion will launch following the press conference on August 24, offering savings of 10% to 15% with the purchase of two or more tickets. Regular-priced tickets will officially go on sale at 10:00am on 31 August 2026.
