Youth will be served at China Open

The surging youth movement in men's tennis will thrill fans at this year's China Open as a group of elite young stars are primed to compete in the Sept 30-Oct 6 ATP 500 tournament at the National Tennis Center in north Beijing.

Leading a strong early-entry field is Austria's world No 4 Dominic Thiem, primed for a breakthrough in his return to the Chinese capital after a two-year hiatus. The 25-year-old is determined to make his third appearance a memorable one after bowing out in the first round in both 2015 and 2016.

"It's been a while since my last trip to Beijing, but I hope this will be a successful comeback for me at the China Open," said Thiem, who won his second-round match on Wednesday in the Generali Open, an ATP 250 event in his home country.