Carlos Alcaraz made it through to the China Open final and a date with world No 1 Jannik Sinner after victory against Daniil Medvedev.
The Spaniard claimed his third victory in a row this year against Medvedev 7-5 6-3 to reach his fifth final in 2024.
Alcaraz set a championship-match clash against top seed Sinner by overcoming home wild card Yunchaokete Bu 6-3 7-6 (7-3) in the Chinese capital.
“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 ahead of the clash – live on Sky Sports Tennis from 10am on Wednesday.
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Medvedev and Alcaraz played out an incredible rally, which included a drop shot, tweener and then Spaniard coming out on top with a winning return
Alcaraz, the reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion, prevailed in a topsy-turvy first set that featured five breaks of serve before accelerating past Medvedev in the second to wrap an 88-minute triumph.
“I’m really happy that I didn’t lose my focus too long in the first set,” said Alcaraz. “I recovered it as soon as I got broken, and I’m really happy that at the end of the set I was able to play really good tennis in the return game and then serving at 6-5. I did a really good game.
“After that, once you are one set up, it’s a little bit easier, playing against Daniil with more confidence.”
Since his disappointing second-round loss to Botic van de Zandschulp at the US Open, Alcaraz has now racked up eight consecutive victories as he chases his first ATP title since his victory at the All England Club in July, while Sinner is on a 15-match winning streak.
“You have to keep fighting,” reflected Alcaraz. “You have to keep playing the same way that you were playing before and just forget about the opponent. You should focus on yourself and your tennis, so that’s what I tried to do. I was still playing the same way I had played until that point in the match. I didn’t lose the focus in that moment, so I’m really happy that I kept pushing.”
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Highlights as Jannik Sinner defeated home hope Yunchaokete Bu
The Spaniard will take a 5-4 series lead into the showdown with Sinner. 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.”
Tale of the Tape
With his win over Medvedev, Alcaraz made it 7-1 vs the Top-5 in 2024.
Evans through to Shanghai main draw
Dan Evans made it through to the Shanghai Masters main draw
Dan Evans defeated Australian Alex Bolt 6-2 1-6 7-5 in the second round of qualifying to make it through to the Shanghai Masters main draw.
The Brit, who warmed up for the Masters 1000 event by playing on the Challenger Tour in Nonthaburi, Thailand, will face Thiago Seyboth Wild of Brazil in the first round on Wednesday, with the winner to meet Daniil Medvedev.
Fils takes title in Tokyo
Arthur Fils saved a championship point in the second-set tie-break before edging out Ugo Humbert
Talented Frenchman Arthur Fils saved a championship point to take down compatriot Ugo Humbert 5-7 7-6(6) 6-3 to capture the title in Tokyo in a thriller.
Fils, who downed top seed Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Holger Rune and Humbert to claim his second ATP 500 title of the season, having won in Hamburg.
There was British success in the doubles as Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool lift the trophy after defeating Galloway Behar 6-4 4-6 12-10.
The ATP 500 trophy is the biggest of Cash’s career so far and his third at tour-level – adding to wins alongside Galloway in Delray Beach and Mallorca this year.
Meanwhile, it’s a second ATP 500 tournament win for former world No 7 Glasspool (Hamburg 2022) and marks a fifth tour title to his career tally.
What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis in October?
- Shanghai Masters – ATP 1000 (October 2-13)
- Wuhan Open – WTA 1000 (October 6-12 – Emma Raducanu in qualifying action)
- Almaty Open, Kazakhstan – ATP 250 (October 14-20)
- Stockholm Open, Sweden – ATP 250 (October 14-20)
- European Open, Antwerp – ATP 250 (October 14-20)
- Japan Open, Osaka – WTA 250 (October 14-20)
- Ningbo Open, China – WTA 500 (October 14-20)
- Erste Bank Open, Vienna – ATP 500 (October 21-27)
- Swiss Indoors, Basel – ATP 500 (October 21-27)
- Guangzhou Open, China – WTA 250 (October 21-27)
- Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis, Tokyo – WTA 500 (October 21-27)
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