Sinner sets Alcaraz blockbuster in Beijing final

The most gripping Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry of the moment will add another chapter on Wednesday when Jannik Sinner plays Carlos Alcaraz in the China Open final.

Sinner set the blockbuster showdown with a 6-3, 7-6(3) victory against home favourite Buyunchaokete Tuesday evening in the Beijing semi-finals.

“It’s going to be a tough match. We know each other very well now, but every match is different, so the situation on the court is also a bit different than it was the last two matches. But let’s see,” Sinner said in his on-court interview. “I’m happy to be again here in the final. My season is going very, very good and playing finals is always a great moment. I just hope tomorrow is going to be a good match from both of us.”

That grip change tho ?@janniksin | @ChinaOpen | #ChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/VeDM7xNI4f

One year ago, Sinner defeated Alcaraz in the Beijing semi-finals en route to lifting the trophy. It was part of his red-hot finish to the season that rolled into 2024, when the Italian became the first player from his country to claim the No. 1 PIF ATP Ranking.

This time when they meet in Beijing, Sinner will bring to the court a 15-match winning streak. Alcaraz is in form himself, having claimed eight consecutive matches and won Roland Garros and Wimbledon this year.

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Sinner needed to work hard to set the clash with his great rival. Buyunchaokete had only played one ATP Tour event entering last week’s ATP 250 in Hangzhou, but has proven himself capable of competing with the best players in the world.

“Today was a very tough match because I didn’t know him at all, so in the beginning I didn’t know exactly what to expect. But then I tried somehow to get into the rhythm,” Sinner said. “I felt like the first set I was playing some good tennis and then in the second set I dropped a little bit of intensity, which then he raised his level. I had some chances in the second set also like yesterday to break a bit earlier. I couldn’t use them, so I tried to stay there mentally somehow, which a set can go very, very fast away, so I’m happy to be… back in the final here.”

The pair traded blows from the baseline, which most players are unable to do with the powerful baseline Sinner. Both men played well under pressure, with the Italian saving all three break points he faced and the Chinese player saving eight of the nine opportunities against his serve.

But Sinner was able to rely on his experience in the most critical moments, surging to a 6/1 lead in the second-set tie-break before finishing off his victory in two hours and four minutes. Now he is one win from joining Novak Djokovic as the only players in tournament history to successfully defend the China Open title. But the 23-year-old knows there is a big obstacle, Alcaraz, standing in his way.

The Spaniard will take a 5-4 Lexus ATP Head2Head series lead into their showdown. It will be their second meeting in a final — Sinner defeated Alcaraz in three sets for the Umag trophy in 2022.

“Of course tomorrow is going to be completely different,” Sinner said. “We know each other very well. It’s going to be tactical, but I’m looking forward to it.”

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