China Open: Carlos Alcaraz roars back from a set down to beat Jannik Sinner, win maiden title
Oct. 2, 2024, 6:22 p.m.
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Carlos Alcaraz rallied from a set down to claim his first China Open title on Wednesday, defeating world number one Jannik Sinner in a thrilling match.
The four-time Grand Slam winner secured his fourth ATP title of the year and 16th overall after a thrilling final, overcoming a deficit to win 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 7-6 (7/3).
The Spaniard, who is poised to reclaim the number two spot in the world rankings behind Sinner, faced a 3-0 deficit in the final-set tiebreak but battled back to secure victory in three hours and 21 minutes.
Advertisement The longest men’s singles match in China Open history saw Sinner deposed as the Beijing champion after an almighty fight.
Alcaraz called it “a special win” that was even more satisfying in light of his shock second-round exit at the recent US Open.
He hopes it will win the sport more fans.
“When Jannik and I play it’s a good thing for tennis because we always show a really intense match, really close match, great points, great rallies,” he said.
“I think for people who don’t watch tennis, probably thanks to these kind of matches, they will start to watch tennis or even practise it.”
Champion Carlos Alcaraz and and runner-up Jannik Sinner pose with their respective trophy during the presentation ceremony in the China Open men’s singles final. AP US Open champion Sinner reached the final in Beijing under fresh scrutiny.
Sinner has acknowledged the mental strain caused by the doping allegations, which resurfaced recently after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed the decision to exonerate him.
He called it one of the toughest matches he had ever played.
“These kind of matches can really go both ways, but it was not my day,” said Sinner.
“He played better in the important moments, that’s it.”
He added: “Today all three sets, they were very tough physically.”
‘Great battle’
In front of a packed stadium, Sinner faltered first as second-seeded Alcaraz broke serve to go up 3-1 in the opening set.
Advertisement Alcaraz dominated the fourth game, winning it comfortably 4-1, leaving his opponent visibly shaken.
Alcaraz, at 21, had a set point, but Sinner impressively broke back at the crucial moment.
Sinner then saved a set point while serving, forcing a tie break. He saved another set point in the tie break before securing the set on his first opportunity when Alcaraz hit a shot out of bounds.
It was the first set Alcaraz had dropped all week.
The second set was just as tight.
Both players had their opportunities, but they held their serve until Alcaraz broke in the 10th game to take a 5-4 lead. He then held serve to force a third set.
The deciding set went to a tiebreaker, where Alcaraz secured victory on his first match point.
Advertisement “It was a great battle again,” said Sinner, 23, who twice tested positive for a steroid in March but was cleared of wrongdoing and allowed to keep playing.
Read | Jannik Sinner ‘very disappointed’ as doping case reignites with WADA appeal
In August, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted Sinner’s explanation that the drug entered his system unintentionally when his physiotherapist used a spray containing it to treat a cut, then provided massage and sports therapy to the player.
WADA announced on Saturday that they had filed an appeal, seeking a suspension of up to two years.
Zheng survives scare
In the women’s draw, China’s Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen survived a scare in defeating the 43rd-ranked American Amanda Anisimova 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Advertisement Zheng will face Russian 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-finals.
This victory kept the home hero on track to face world number two Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling semifinal matchup.
The top seed remained dominant, defeating another American, Madison Keys, with a commanding 6-4, 6-3 score.
Sabalenka, the US Open champion, will face Karolina Muchova from the Czech Republic in her next match.
