World no. 3 Carlos Alcaraz will compete in his first Beijing Open final. The Spaniard faced last year’s finalist Daniil Medvedev in the semi-final and notched a 7-5, 6-3 victory in an hour and 27 minutes, moving into his fifth ATP final of the season.
The four-time Major winner collected his tenth top-10 win of the season and became the leader of the pack with a rock-solid 7-1 score versus the top-5 opponents. Carlos defeated Daniil for the sixth time in eight duels, prevailing in a tight opener after stealing the rival’s serve three times and cementing the triumph with a double break in set number two.
World no. 3 lost the advantage in the first set two times, dropping serve two times from as many chances presented to his rival. On the other hand, Medvedev lost almost half of the points behind the initial shot, playing against 11 break points and losing serve five times, ending his run in the semi-final.
The younger player took charge and landed 25 winners and 14 unforced errors.
The Russian added 17 winners and 15 mistakes, hitting four service winners more than his rival but struggling from the baseline.
The Spaniard played aggressive and determined tennis, attacking and keeping the points on his terms. They served well in the opening four games of the duels, staying neck and neck at 2-2. Alcaraz made a push on the return in the fifth game, missing two break chances before seizing the third after Medvedev’s backhand error.
Daniil pulled the break back in the next one after Carlos’ loose forehand, returning to the positive side before struggling behind the initial shot again in game seven. The Spaniard attacked in the seventh game and drew the rival’s mistake, securing a break at love and building another advantage.
Strangely, he played another loose service game, squandering a chance to pull the break back and allowing the 3rd seed to lock the result at 4-4.
Carlos Alcaraz is through to his first Beijing Open final.
Alcaraz made another push on the return at 5-5, generating three break chances and welcoming Medvedev’s terrible smash on the second to open a 6-5 advantage.
World no. 3 served for the set in the 12th game and landed a service winner, holding at 15 and moving in front after 48 minutes. Carried by this boost, the four-time Major winner served well in the second set, delivering four comfortable holds and keeping the pressure on the other side.
Like in the opener, Daniil served well in the opening two games. It all changed at 2-2 when Carlos hit a lucky net cord winner, securing a break and moving closer to the finish line. The Spaniard served well in games six and eight and made another push on the return at 5-3.
World no. 3 attacked and generated four match points. Alcaraz converted the last with a booming forehand winner, sealing the deal and reaching his 21st ATP final at 21.
Carlos will pass Alexander Zverev and become Jannik Sinner’s closest rival after the tournament, gaining one place on the ATP ranking list and hoping to claim the first ATP title since Wimbledon.
The young gun reached the Beijing Open semi-final a year ago and fell to Sinner 7-6, 6-1 in an hour and 55 minutes. The Italian claimed his fourth win over a great rival, prevailing in the opener and dominating set number two, advancing into the title clash.
Jannik denied seven of nine break points and kept the pressure on world no. 2. Carlos could not follow that pace, losing a tight opener and fading from the court in set number two. Unlike in the opening three matches, Alcaraz failed to make a difference with his initial shot, losing half of the points and suffering five breaks from eight opportunities offered to his opponent.
The younger player made a reliable start, breaking in the first game of the encounter and holding for 2-0.
Jannik denied two break points in the third game and pulled the break back in the next one for 2-2. World no. 7 struggled behind the initial shot again in the fifth game, netting a forehand and falling behind. Instead of building on that, Alcaraz suffered a break at love in the sixth game, bringing his rival back to the positive side.
They served well in the next six games, introducing a tie break. The Spaniard missed too many forehands, dropping the breaker 7-4 after the rival’s forehand winner and losing ground. Sinner secured an early break in the second set and played against five break points in games two and four.
He denied them and held for 3-1, making a massive step toward the top. Carlos missed a 40-15 lead in the fifth game and played a loose forehand, losing serve and falling 4-1 behind. The Spaniard played another loose service game at 1-5, spraying a backhand error and allowing the Italian to seal the deal in style.
If Jannik tops the Chinese player in the semi-final, two great rivals will battle for the Beijing Open title on Wednesday.
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