A new chapter will be added to the most gripping rivalry in present day tennis when Jannik Sinner will take on Carlos Alcaraz in the China Open final here on Wednesday.
The world No.1 Sinner set up the blockbuster showdown with the world No. 3 Spaniard, defeating home favourite Bu Yunchaokete 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) in the semi-final on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Alcaraz advanced to the final with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Daniil Medvedev.
“It’s going to be a tough match. We know each other very well now, but every match is different," Sinner said in his on-court interview. “I’m happy to be again here in the final. My season is going very, very good and playing finals is always a great moment. I just hope tomorrow is going to be a good match from both of us.”
One year ago, Sinner defeated Alcaraz in the semi-finals here en route to lifting the trophy. It was part of his red-hot finish to the season that rolled into 2024, when the Italian became the first player from his country to claim the No. 1 ranking.
Sinner is on a 15-match winning streak while Alcaraz have claimed eight consecutive matches.
“I felt great on the court once again, so I'm really happy about it,” Alcaraz said. “I think I couldn't ask for a better semi-final.”
The four-time grand slam champion — including this year's French Open and Wimbledon — extended his head-to-head record against the Russian to 6-2.
The 21-year-old Spaniard found his way through a testing first set that had five breaks of serve, but crucially it was Alcaraz's third service break in the 12th game that secured the set.
With the confidence of a set lead, Alcaraz accelerated and Medvedev had no answers as the Spaniard wrapped up the semifinal in 88 minutes.
Alcaraz has now won eight straight matches — across the Davis Cup, Laver Cup and in Beijing — since his loss to Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round at the US Open.
Pegula crashes out Paula Badosa defeated US Open finalist Jessica Pegula 6-4, 6-0 to reach her eighth career quarter final at a WTA 1000-level event.
From 1-3 down in the opening set, former world No. 2 Badosa dominated in her first-ever win over third-ranked Pegula.
Badosa will next face 35-year-old Chinese player Zhang Shuai, who continued her resurgence with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Magdalena Frech of Poland.
Yuliia Starodubtseva of the Ukraine also caused an upset beating No. 14 Anna Kalinskaya 7-5, 6-0.
The No. 115-ranked Starodubtseva will play Naomi Osaka who got a walkover against Coco Gauff in the quarter finals.
