Third-ranked Carlos Alcaraz showcased his athletic prowess once more as he secured a spot in the men's final of the China Open with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Daniil Medvedev on Tuesday.
"I felt fantastic on the court again, so I'm really pleased," Alcaraz said. "I couldn't have asked for a better semi-final." The four-time grand slam champion improved his head-to-head record against the Russian to 6-2. Alcaraz will face either top-ranked Jannik Sinner or Chinese wildcard Bu Yunchaokete, who play later on Tuesday, in the final.
The 21-year-old Spaniard navigated a challenging first set that featured five service breaks, but it was Alcaraz's third service break in the 12th game that clinched the set. With a set advantage, Alcaraz accelerated, leaving Medvedev powerless as the Spaniard concluded the semi-final in 88 minutes.
Alcaraz has now won eight consecutive matches across the Davis Cup, Laver Cup, and Beijing, since his loss to Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round at the US Open.
In the women's tournament, Paula Badosa dominated the final 12 games, winning 11 of them, to secure a 6-4, 6-0 victory over US Open finalist Jessica Pegula, advancing to her eighth career quarter-final at a WTA 1000-level event. From 3-1 down in the opening set, Badosa, a former No 2-ranked player, achieved her first-ever win over third-ranked Pegula.
"She's one of the players I never want to face – she's very solid, hits very flat, changes direction well," Badosa said, who was previously 0-3 against Pegula. "I prepared for a tough battle, but today everything went well. Every point was crucial, especially against Jessica, as she can make a comeback at any moment."
Badosa's next opponent is the 35-year-old Chinese player Zhang Shuai, who continued her resurgence with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Magdalena Frech of Poland. Zhang entered the China Open on a 24-match losing streak and ranked No 595, but has yet to drop a set in four matches this week, including a straight-sets victory over US Open semi-finalist Emma Navarro.
"In this draw, everyone has a higher ranking than me," Zhang said. "I just focus on my game and don't think too much about preparation."
Yuliia Starodubtseva of Ukraine also caused an upset by defeating No 14-ranked Anna Kalinskaya 7-5, 6-0. The No 115-ranked Starodubtseva will face the winner of the marquee women's match between four-time major winner Naomi Osaka and sixth-ranked Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals.
This will be the first meeting between the two grand slam champions in over two years, with the head-to-head series tied at 2-2.
