Carlos Alcaraz proved his mettle and ability by winning his first-ever China Open championship in a thrilling encounter against Jannik Sinner.
Alcaraz overcame a set down in the thrilling three-set match on Wednesday to win 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) against the world number one. The crowded Beijing crowd was kept on the edge of their seats for three hours and twenty-one minutes throughout this thrilling finale.
On Wednesday, Carlos Alcaraz won his first China Open title after storming back from a set down to defeat world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in a thrilling match. The Spanish player, who has won four Grand Slam titles, prevailed in an exciting final 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) to claim his 16th career ATP title. Alcaraz, who will now rank second in the world behind Sinner, overcame a 3-0 deficit in the final set tiebreak to triumph in three hours and twenty-one minutes.
After a fierce battle, Sinner lost his record of 14 straight wins and was removed as the Beijing champion in the dramatic victory.
The early exchanges were nervous, with both players under instant pressure on their service games, in front of a full house in Beijing.
The second-seeded Alcaraz broke for a 3-1 lead and celebrated with a fist pump after Sinner, 23, became the first to blink.
Unusually for him, the Spaniard had his opponent terrified as he easily won 4-1.
Sinner, an Italian, has acknowledged having nightmares over a doping issue that resurfaced over the weekend after WADA announced that it had appealed the ruling that cleared him.
When it mattered most, US Open champion Sinner regained the break as 21-year-old Alcaraz served for the set.
Sinner then forced a tie break by saving a set point on his own service. He also saved another in the tie break before winning the set after Alcaraz missed a long shot.
Alcaraz had not released a set this week.
The second set was also tightly wound.
Though both players had their share of opportunities, they ultimately decided to play to the serve until Alcaraz broke for a 5-4 lead and then easily held to force a third set.
Once more, the match ended in a tie break, with Alcaraz winning on his first match point.
Under increased monitoring, Sinner has been performing in Beijing.
In March, he tested positive for steroids twice, but the tennis authorities exonerated him and permitted him to resume competition.
The substance accidentally entered Sinner’s system when his physiotherapist used a spray containing it to treat a cut, according to Sinner’s explanation, which the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted in August. The athlete subsequently received massage and sports treatment from the physiotherapist.
On Saturday, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced that it had filed an appeal and was requesting a two-year ban.