In Beijing
Alcaraz hits 2024 hat-trick against Sinner with win in Beijing final
The Spaniard lifted his fourth tour-level trophy of 2024
October 02, 2024
AFP/Getty Images
Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after defeating Jannik Sinner on Wednesday in a memorable three sets for the Beijing title.
Written by Andy West
Carlos Alcaraz continued his fine year against arch-rival Jannik Sinner with a thrilling championship match win on Wednesday at the China Open.
The Spaniard held on deep with a 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3) victory against World No. 1 Sinner to lift the title at the ATP 500 in Beijing. Alcaraz dropped a break in both the first and third sets but reeled off seven straight points from 0/3 down in the set decision to win in a grueling three-hour, 21-minute match, the longest match of the tournament. history.
“He can [have won] with two, I can win with two, he can win with three. It was a very close game,” said Alcaraz. “Jannik, he showed again that he is the best player in the world, at least for me. The level he plays is unbelievable. Really high quality tennis. In shooting, physically, mentally, he is a beast. ”
BEIJING CHAMPION 🏆
In a dramatic finale, @carlosalcaraz fights to beat defending champion Sinner 6-7(6) 6-4 7-6(3) #China Open topic!@chinaopen pic.twitter.com/idvMd6LRiz
– ATP Tour (@atptour) October 2, 2024
Alcaraz now leads his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Sinner 6-4 after winning all three of their matches this season (Indian Wells, Roland Garros, Beijing). The rivalry between the two, which is set to remain a staple on the ATP Tour for years to come, has been on and off since they first met in 2021, but this is the first time either man has won the treble. one after the other facing each other.
Sinner had won 18 of his last 19 breaks going into the decider, but Alcaraz produced his best tennis of the match from 0/3 down to win.
“I never gave up hope,” said Alcaraz. “Honestly, I knew that [when I started it] that all the games of Jannik’s break are almost on his side. I thought in the third set, I’m not going to lie, 3-love down, two little breaks for him. So I didn’t give up hope, but I thought, ‘Okay, I have to give everything I have just to try to give myself a chance to be around.’
“I played some good points to make it 3 over and after that I just thought about making it. If I lost, at least I walked away with it. That’s all I could think about at the time.”
With his title run on the hard courts of Beijing, Alcaraz became the first player to win an ATP 500 crown on all three surfaces (hard, clay and grass) in the history of the series (since 2009). The 21-year-old will next join rival Sinner at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
“During the week I was playing good tennis,” Alcaraz said of his Beijing run. “Perhaps sometimes luck was a little bit on my side in the matches. But in general I feel good on the field, I feel comfortable on the court and with my team.
“It’s really important to feel good all the time when you’re not on the court, try to show good tennis and be calm on the court. I think I couldn’t ask for a better week here in Beijing and I will try to keep going.”
Alcaraz’s win against Sinner also reduced the Spaniard’s deficit in the race for ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours. However, second-place Alcaraz is still 2,820 points behind first-place Sinner in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, which serves as the barometer for the Year 1 Race.
Despite struggling to find his best for most of the opening period of Wednesday’s final, Sinner held on deep to recover from a 2-5 deficit and go ahead with a break win. Alcaraz made a confident start and fired off a series of forehand winners early on, but was unable to seal any of the three set points he earned in the first set.
Then came the key moments in Alcaraz’s victory. He was under a lot of pressure when serving at 3-4 in the second set, but won the 14-minute match where he saved two Sinner break points. He continued to rest and work for himself in the next match and, after tying the match at one, Alcaraz built on his momentum by opening the first goal to make it 3-1 in the decider.
The offender was not yet finished in his quest to become the second man to successfully defend the Beijing title after Novak Djokovic, who is a record six-time champion. The Italian recovered to force a break before taking a 3/0 lead. Then came the yellow heroes of Alcaraz, who finally proved to be the best in one of the most memorable games of the 2024 season.
Alcaraz’s prowess at the net was crucial to his victory in the race. The four-time champion won 74 points (25/34) of the points when he advanced, according to Infosys ATP Stats, en route to a ninth straight ATP Tour finals title for the second longest this year. Hamburg (Fils d. Zverev in three hours, 33 minutes).
“I had chances in the first set, I just didn’t make it,” Alcaraz said. “Three sets, I didn’t win. But in general, I’m proud of myself the way I’m proud [played] the game, the way I can handle everything. Being down with a lot of chances in the second set… 4-3, break point and being able to come back after that… it was a great moment, a great match.
“I am very happy that in the third set, even though he broke me again and we were very close, I gave myself the opportunity to continue, I played with intensity and in the end I am very happy that I won. ”
