Almaty Open 2026 Draw Preview: Medvedev Leads, Bublik Eyes Home Title
The 2026 Almaty Open promises an exciting week of indoor hard-court tennis as defending champion Daniil Medvedev leads a strong field featuring Alexander Bublik, Andrey Rublev, Karen Khachanov, Luciano Darderi, and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The ATP 250 tournament takes place from October 19 to 25, 2026, at Almaty Arena in Kazakhstan, with 28 singles players competing for the title and 250 ATP ranking points.
Medvedev enters as the top seed and the player to beat, but his path to another Almaty title could be challenging. Home favorite Alexander Bublik and 2024 champion Karen Khachanov are both in his half of the draw.
Meanwhile, the bottom half features second seed Luciano Darderi, fourth seed Andrey Rublev, and former World No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas.
With two former Almaty champions returning and several dangerous unseeded players in the field, this year’s draw offers plenty of interesting possibilities.
Almaty Open 2026: Tournament Overview
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Tournament | Almaty Open 2026 |
| Category | ATP 250 |
| Location | Almaty, Kazakhstan |
| Venue | Almaty Arena |
| Surface | Indoor Hard |
| Qualifying | October 17–18, 2026 |
| Main Draw | October 19–25, 2026 |
| Singles Draw | 28 Players |
| Prize Money | $1,075,160 |
| Champion’s Points | 250 ATP Points |
| Defending Champion | Daniil Medvedev |
| Official Website | Almaty Open |
The tournament features a 28-player singles draw, with the top four seeds receiving first-round byes.
Almaty Open 2026 Seeds
Eight seeded players headline this year’s singles competition.
| Seed | Player | Country | ATP Ranking* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniil Medvedev | Russia | 6 |
| 2 | Luciano Darderi | Italy | 21 |
| 3 | Alexander Bublik | Kazakhstan | 22 |
| 4 | Andrey Rublev | Russia | 23 |
| 5 | Karen Khachanov | Russia | 27 |
| 6 | Tomás Martín Etcheverry | Argentina | 31 |
| 7 | Stefanos Tsitsipas | Greece | 43 |
| 8 | Thiago Agustín Tirante | Argentina | 54 |
Rankings are those listed on the official tournament draw.
Medvedev, Darderi, Bublik, and Rublev have all received first-round byes and will begin their campaigns in the Round of 16.
Top Half Draw: Medvedev, Bublik, and Khachanov
The top half is particularly interesting because it contains the tournament’s two previous singles champions, Medvedev and Khachanov, alongside Kazakhstan’s biggest home favorite, Bublik.
First Quarter: Medvedev Begins Title Defense
Top seed: Daniil Medvedev (1)
Daniil Medvedev returns to Almaty looking to defend the title he won in 2025.
The former World No. 1 enjoyed a memorable run last year, defeating Corentin Moutet 7–5, 4–6, 6–3 in the final. That victory ended an 882-day title drought and gave him his 21st ATP Tour singles crown.
Now ranked World No. 6 according to the tournament draw, Medvedev will hope to build on his success at an event where he has already enjoyed a special moment.
After receiving a first-round bye, Medvedev will face either Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro or a qualifier in the second round.
His quarter also includes sixth seed Tomás Martín Etcheverry, Mattia Bellucci, Terence Atmane, and Rinky Hijikata.
Etcheverry opens against Bellucci, while Atmane faces Hijikata.
A possible Medvedev–Etcheverry quarterfinal could provide an interesting contrast between Medvedev’s defensive skills and the Argentine’s aggressive baseline game.
However, the unseeded players will have opportunities to disrupt that projected matchup.
Potential quarterfinal: Daniil Medvedev vs. Tomás Martín Etcheverry.
Second Quarter: Bublik Faces a Strong Challenge on Home Soil
Top seeds: Alexander Bublik (3) and Karen Khachanov (5)
For Kazakhstan’s tennis fans, Alexander Bublik will be one of the biggest attractions of the tournament.
The third seed enters the event as the country’s highest-ranked male player, carrying the hopes of a home crowd eager to see a Kazakhstani champion.
Bublik receives a first-round bye and will face either Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan or local wild card Timofey Skatov in the Round of 16.
Marozsan is a dangerous opponent with an attacking game, while Skatov will have the opportunity to compete in front of his home supporters.
The other side of this quarter features another former Almaty champion, Karen Khachanov.
Khachanov lifted the trophy in 2024 after defeating Gabriel Diallo 6–2, 5–7, 6–3 in the final. He returns as the fifth seed and will begin his 2026 campaign against a qualifier.
Also in this section, Kazakhstan’s young wild card Zangar Nurlanuly faces Czech player Tomáš Macháč.
Macháč is an experienced opponent at ATP Tour level, making this a significant challenge for Nurlanuly.
The winner could meet Khachanov in the second round, provided the fifth seed wins his opening match.
Potential quarterfinal: Alexander Bublik vs. Karen Khachanov.
For Bublik, reaching the semifinals could mean a highly anticipated meeting with defending champion Medvedev.
Bottom Half Draw: Rublev, Darderi, and Tsitsipas Chase the Final
The bottom half brings together several experienced ATP Tour players, including Andrey Rublev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Marin Čilić.
Second seed Luciano Darderi also has an opportunity to make a deep run, although his route could feature some challenging hard-court opponents.
Third Quarter: Rublev Leads a Competitive Section
Top seeds: Andrey Rublev (4) and Thiago Agustín Tirante (8)
Fourth seed Andrey Rublev enters the tournament hoping to add another ATP Tour trophy to his collection.
The former World No. 5 has won major titles at the Monte-Carlo and Madrid Masters and remains one of the most recognizable players in the field.
Rublev receives a first-round bye and will meet either France’s Adrian Mannarino or Australia’s Aleksandar Vukic in the Round of 16.
Mannarino’s flat groundstrokes can be effective on indoor hard courts, while Vukic has the powerful serve and attacking style needed to challenge higher-ranked opponents.
The opposite side of this quarter features eighth seed Thiago Agustín Tirante, who opens against fellow Argentine Facundo Díaz Acosta.
Former US Open champion Marin Čilić is also in this section and will face a qualifier in his opening match.
Čilić brings plenty of experience and a powerful serve, making him a player to watch despite entering the tournament unseeded.
Should both seeds progress, Rublev and Tirante could meet for a semifinal place.
Potential quarterfinal: Andrey Rublev vs. Thiago Agustín Tirante.
Fourth Quarter: Darderi and Tsitsipas Could Meet
Top seeds: Luciano Darderi (2) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (7)
Second seed Luciano Darderi anchors the bottom of the draw, but his section includes several experienced players capable of causing problems.
Darderi receives a first-round bye and will face either Miomir Kecmanović or James Duckworth in the Round of 16.
Kecmanović is a consistent baseline player, while Duckworth’s aggressive hard-court game could make him a difficult opening opponent.
Meanwhile, seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas begins against American Aleksandar Kovacevic.
The Greek star, a former World No. 3 and two-time Grand Slam finalist, will be aiming to produce a strong performance in the closing weeks of the season.
However, Kovacevic is a dangerous first-round opponent with a strong serve and attacking ability.
The winner of that contest will advance to face either local wild card Mikhail Kukushkin or a qualifier.
Kukushkin’s experience on indoor hard courts could make him a tricky opponent, especially with the home crowd behind him.
The draw creates the possibility of a Darderi–Tsitsipas quarterfinal, although both players have work to do before that meeting can happen.
Potential quarterfinal: Luciano Darderi vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Almaty Open 2026: First-Round Matches to Watch
Several opening-round matches deserve attention before the top four seeds enter the competition.
| Match | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Aleksandar Kovacevic | An experienced former Top 10 star faces an aggressive American |
| Fabian Marozsan vs. Timofey Skatov (WC) | The winner earns a meeting with home favorite Alexander Bublik |
| Zangar Nurlanuly (WC) vs. Tomáš Macháč | A young Kazakhstani player faces an experienced Czech opponent |
| Adrian Mannarino vs. Aleksandar Vukic | Two dangerous indoor hard-court players compete for a meeting with Rublev |
| Miomir Kecmanović vs. James Duckworth | The winner advances to face second seed Darderi |
| Terence Atmane vs. Rinky Hijikata | Two unseeded players seek a place in the second round |
Of these matches, Tsitsipas against Kovacevic could be one of the most interesting encounters.
Tsitsipas brings the experience of competing at the highest level, but he cannot afford a slow start against an opponent who is capable of playing aggressive tennis.
The Marozsan–Skatov match is another one worth following, especially because its winner will face Bublik.
Kazakhstan’s Wild Cards: Three Local Players in the Singles Draw
Three Kazakhstani players have received wild cards into the Almaty Open 2026 singles main draw.
Timofey Skatov faces Fabian Marozsan in the first round. A victory would earn him a meeting with third seed Alexander Bublik.
Zangar Nurlanuly meets Tomáš Macháč in a challenging opening contest. His participation provides an opportunity to gain valuable experience against an established ATP Tour player.
Mikhail Kukushkin, one of Kazakhstan’s most experienced tennis players, will face a qualifier. The veteran is in the same quarter as Tsitsipas and Darderi.
Bublik is also representing Kazakhstan, but he entered the tournament directly as the third seed rather than through a wild card.
The home crowd should have plenty of reasons to follow the tournament closely.
There will also be local interest in the doubles competition, where Bublik partners Nurlanuly, while Amir Omarkhanov and Beibit Zhukayev have received another wild card.
Almaty Open 2026: Potential Quarterfinals and Semifinals
Based on the official singles draw and the players’ seeded positions, the following matchups are possible.
These are projected meetings, not confirmed matches.
Potential Quarterfinals
| Quarter | Possible Matchup |
|---|---|
| QF 1 | Daniil Medvedev (1) vs. Tomás Martín Etcheverry (6) |
| QF 2 | Alexander Bublik (3) vs. Karen Khachanov (5) |
| QF 3 | Thiago Agustín Tirante (8) vs. Andrey Rublev (4) |
| QF 4 | Stefanos Tsitsipas (7) vs. Luciano Darderi (2) |
Potential Semifinals
Top Half: Daniil Medvedev (1) vs. Alexander Bublik (3)
Bottom Half: Andrey Rublev (4) vs. Luciano Darderi (2)
A Medvedev–Bublik semifinal would be a major attraction, bringing together the defending champion and Kazakhstan’s leading player.
Meanwhile, Rublev and Darderi could meet in the other semifinal if both make it through their respective quarters.
A final between Medvedev and Rublev, or between Bublik and Darderi, is also possible based on their positions in the draw.
Who Are the Players to Watch?
Several players stand out ahead of the tournament.
Daniil Medvedev — The defending champion
Medvedev enters as the highest-ranked player in the field. His experience, movement, and consistent groundstrokes make him a strong contender to retain the trophy.
Alexander Bublik — The home favorite
Bublik has an opportunity to deliver something special for Kazakhstan. His unpredictable style, powerful serving, and variety can trouble almost any opponent when he is playing well.
Karen Khachanov — The former champion
Khachanov knows how to win in Almaty. His 2024 title provides valuable experience, and his powerful baseline game makes him a serious challenger.
Andrey Rublev — The bottom-half threat
Rublev’s powerful forehand and aggressive returning give him the ability to control matches. With Medvedev, Bublik, and Khachanov all in the opposite half, he has an opportunity to make a run to the final.
Luciano Darderi — The second seed
Darderi enters with a high seeding, but the indoor hard courts will present a demanding test. His ability to adjust to the conditions could determine how far he progresses.
Stefanos Tsitsipas — The dangerous seventh seed
Tsitsipas has the experience to challenge any player in the field. Despite being seeded seventh, his career achievements make him an important name to watch.
Almaty Open 2026 Schedule
The tournament begins with qualifying matches on October 17–18, followed by the main draw on October 19.
| Date | Round |
|---|---|
| October 17–18 | Qualifying |
| October 19–22 | First and Second Rounds |
| Friday, October 23 | Quarterfinals |
| Saturday, October 24 | Semifinals |
| Sunday, October 25 | Finals |
The singles final is scheduled for Sunday, October 25, at Almaty Arena.
All match dates and times are subject to change.
Final Thoughts: Can Medvedev Defend His Almaty Title?
The 2026 Almaty Open features an intriguing mix of former champions, established ATP Tour stars, and local favorites.
Daniil Medvedev is the leading contender based on his ranking, top seeding, and experience of winning the tournament last year.
However, Alexander Bublik could become the biggest story of the week if he makes a deep run in front of his home crowd.
Karen Khachanov is another serious challenger, while Andrey Rublev, Luciano Darderi, and Stefanos Tsitsipas will be hoping to take advantage of their positions in the bottom half.
With several potentially exciting matchups ahead, the Almaty Open promises a competitive week of indoor tennis.
Will Medvedev defend his crown, can Bublik deliver a home victory, or will another contender take the trophy?
The battle for the 2026 Almaty Open title begins on October 19.
Official Sources and Tournament Links
- Almaty Open – Official Website
- ATP Tour – Almaty Open Tournament Overview
- Almaty Open 2026 Main Draw Announcement
- ATP Tour – Medvedev Wins the 2025 Almaty Open
- ATP Tour – Khachanov Wins the 2024 Almaty Open
Draw information is based on the official singles main draw released on October 18, 2026. Qualifier positions were not yet finalized in that version of the draw. The article will be updated as additional information becomes available.
