Carlos Alcaraz brought Jannik Sinner’s winning streak to a halt, securing the China Open title in Beijing following another thrilling showdown between the two rising stars. Sinner entered the final on a 15-match winning streak, having recently claimed his second grand slam title of the season at the US Open. However, it was Alcaraz who emerged victorious with a 6-7 (6) 6-4 7-6 (3) win after a grueling three hours and 21 minutes. The Spaniard now holds a 6-4 advantage over his formidable rival in their head-to-head encounters, having delivered 55 winners and showcasing a remarkable performance in the final tie-break.
“It was an incredibly close match,” Alcaraz remarked. “Jannik once again demonstrated that he’s the best player in the world, at least in my eyes. The level of his play is simply unbelievable.” Alcaraz admitted to missing opportunities in the first set but expressed pride in his overall performance and how he managed the match. “I’m really pleased with how I handled the third set, even after he broke my serve. I kept pushing forward, playing aggressively, and I’m thrilled that I managed to pull through.”
Alcaraz has regained his form over the past few weeks, bouncing back from a surprising second-round exit at the US Open. He was in top form from the outset of the match, taking an early 5-2 lead in the first set. However, Sinner fought back, breaking Alcaraz’s serve when he was on the brink of winning the set. The world number one then saved three set points before clinching the tie-break. This was yet another display of Sinner’s mental fortitude this season, but it was Alcaraz who showed resilience in the second set, saving two break points in a lengthy eighth game before breaking his opponent to level the match.
The momentum shifted back to the 21-year-old, who had previously won both of his meetings against Sinner this season. He applied more pressure early in the deciding set, breaking Sinner to lead 2-1. Although Alcaraz had two more opportunities in the fifth game, he couldn’t capitalize, and the top seed fought back once again. The match fittingly concluded with a deciding tie-break, where Sinner initially took a 3-0 lead. However, Alcaraz responded with a stunning run of seven consecutive points to secure the victory.
