Today in Tennis: Your Week Ahead

Beijing delivers a semifinal for the ages, the women’s draw blows wide open, and Shanghai is on deck. Here’s everything that matters — in five minutes.

The default heard round the world

Novak Djokovic is back in the Beijing final — but nobody will remember the tennis. Leading Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 5-3 in Monday’s semifinal, Djokovic watched the match end in a flash: Medvedev struck a ball into the stands in frustration, it hit a spectator, and the chair umpire defaulted him on the spot. Djokovic, who knows exactly how this feels after his own 2020 US Open default, called it “a bit of a shock” and said he felt for Medvedev — while extending his perfect Beijing record to 33-0.

The cruel part for Medvedev: he was three points from defeat anyway, but now he also loses all points and prize money from the event.

Tuesday’s final: Djokovic vs. Alex de Minaur, who advanced when Hubert Hurkacz retired hurt trailing 6-4, 3-2. Djokovic is chasing his seventh Beijing crown, his first title of 2026, and the 102nd of his career. De Minaur is chasing the biggest title of his life. Appointment viewing.

The women’s draw: chaos is a ladder

The top two seeds are gone — Elena Rybakina fell in round two to Alina Charaeva, and Aryna Sabalenka lost 6-4, 6-3 to Nikola Bartunkova. When a draw opens up like this, someone’s career changes forever. The candidates:

• Coco Gauff (3) handled 16-year-old Chinese wild card Xinran Sun 7-5, 6-1 and next faces Elise Mertens, who outlasted Jelena Ostapenko 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Gauff leads their series 5-1.
• Qinwen Zheng thrilled the home crowd, outlasting Marie Bouzkova 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-5, and now meets giant-killer Charaeva.
• Iga Swiatek (8) survived Donna Vekic 4-6, 7-6(0), 6-2 — a second-set tiebreak bagel tells you who wanted it more — and meets Iva Jovic next.
• Naomi Osaka (12) beat Sara Bejlek 7-6(4), 6-4 and gets Karolina Muchova, who leads their head-to-head 4-3. Popcorn match.
• Mirra Andreeva (4) cruised past Polina Kudermetova 6-4, 6-1. Suddenly looks like the most dangerous player left in the draw.

Tokyo: Alcaraz lives dangerously

Carlos Alcaraz saved four set points in a first-set tiebreak against Matteo Arnaldi, then ran away 7-6(6), 6-1 to reach the Japan Open quarterfinals, where Denis Shapovalov waits. Tokyo wraps up this week too — don’t sleep on it.

Shanghai on deck

The ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters starts Wednesday and runs through October 18 — the Asian swing’s main event. Draw, storylines, and our picks coming in Wednesday’s edition.

Your week, sorted

• Tuesday: Beijing men’s final — Djokovic vs. de Minaur. Appointment viewing.
• Through Sunday: Beijing women’s rounds — the most open WTA 1000 draw in years.
• Wednesday: Shanghai begins.
• All week: check back daily. This is Today in Tennis — everything you need to play Big tennis.