Carlos Alcaraz is through to his second consecutive semi-final at the ATP 500 Beijing Open. World no. 3 faced Karen Khachanov in the quarter-final and scored a 7-5, 6-2 victory in an hour and 36 minutes, booking a clash against Daniil Medvedev.
Carlos outplayed Karen behind the first and second serve, facing only two break points and suffering one break. The Spaniard grabbed 45% of the return points and turned them into four breaks from 12 opportunities. The four-time Major winner prevailed in the opener with a late break and dominated set number two to remain on the title course.
Alcaraz tamed his strokes nicely, firing 26 winners and 22 unforced errors and making the difference with his forehand. Khachanov had more service winners, although he could not follow the rival’s pace from the baseline, finishing with 13 winners and 18 unforced errors.
The Russian had a slim advantage in the shortest range up to four strokes, and the Spaniard took charge in the mid-range and most extended ones.
Karen Khachanov & Carlos Alcaraz, Beijing 2024© Stream screenshot
Carlos blasted a forehand down the line winner in the first game of the encounter and created a break chance.
Karen denied it and held, avoiding an early setback. They held at love in games two and three before Alcaraz faced issues at 1-2 after a loose forehand. World no. 3 denied it with a forced error and made a push on the return in the next one.
The Spaniard blasted a forehand down the line winner, creating two break points and squandering them. The better-ranked opponent landed a return winner for the third break chance and seized it after the rival’s forehand error, moving 3-2 in front.
Khachanov stayed focused and attacked on the return in the sixth game, pulling the break back and returning to the positive side. The ninth game saw almost ten deuces and three break chances for the Spaniard. The Russian denied them and held after an entertaining point, holding and moving 5-4 in front.
Karen squandered a 40-15 lead in the 11th game. He denied the first break point before Carlos created the second with a lob winner.
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Karen Khachanov in straight sets in Beijing.
World no. 3 drew the rival’s mistake, forging a 6-5 advantage and serving for the opener. Alcaraz held at 30 with a smash winner, wrapping up the opener in 63 minutes and gaining momentum. The Spaniard served well in the second set, providing four comfortable holds and keeping the pressure on the other side.
The lower-ranked player held after a deuce in the first game, releasing a booming serve for 1-0. The 21-year-old provided a fine hold for 1-1 before his rival clinched the next one with a service winner, moving 2-1 ahead. Last year’s semi-finalist drew the opponent’s mistake in the fourth game, securing another reliable hold and making a push on the return in the next one.
Carlos attacked and grabbed a break at 15 with a volley winner, opening a 3-2 advantage and moving closer to the finish line. World no. 3 held at love in the sixth game with an ace and made another push on the return at 4-2.
Carlos Alcaraz & Daniil Medvedev, Wimbledon 2024© Stream screenshot
Alcaraz drew the rival’s mistake on the second break chance with a crafty drop shot, opening a 5-2 gap and serving for the victory in game eight.
The young gun landed a volley winner for three match points and moved over the top with a service winner, booking a place in the semi-final. Carlos will seek a place in the title clash against Daniil Medvedev, facing the Russian for the eighth time and chasing the sixth victory.
Alcaraz and Medvedev battled in the Wimbledon semi-final in July, and the younger player scored a 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory in two hours and 55 minutes, reaching his second consecutive Wimbledon final.
Carlos Alcaraz, Wimbledon 2024© Stream screenshot
The defending champion erased the deficit in the first set before losing it in the tie break.
However, he raised his level and left the rival behind in the next three, extending his streak at Majors. Daniil generated three break chances and seized them, two in the opener. The Spaniard collected 38% of the return points and turned them into 15 break chances.
Carlos converted six, controlling the pace in sets two, three and four and moving over the top after a well-rounded performance. Alcaraz landed 52 winners and 35 unforced errors, taming his strokes nicely and overpowering Medvedev en route to the title clash.
The young gun forged the advantage in the shortest and mid-range exchanges. Daniil responded with a fine display in the more advanced ones, taking only ten points fewer than his rival but ending his campaign in the last four. Medvedev played in the Beijing final a year ago, challenging Jannik Sinner but falling in two tie breaks.
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