Carlos Alcaraz maintained his unbeaten record this year against his formidable opponent Jannik Sinner with an exhilarating win in the championship match at the China Open on Wednesday.
The Spaniard fought hard for a 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3) victory over World No. 1 Sinner to claim the title at the ATP 500 event in Beijing. Despite relinquishing a break lead in both the first and third sets, Alcaraz rallied from 0/3 in the final set tie-break, winning seven consecutive points to secure the win in a gripping three-hour and 21-minute match—the longest in the history of the tournament.
Alcaraz now leads the Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Sinner 6-4, having won all three of their matchups this season (Indian Wells, Roland Garros, Beijing). Their rivalry, expected to be a prominent feature on the ATP Tour for many years, has seen a series of shifts since their initial tour-level meeting in 2021. This victory marks the first time either player has secured three consecutive wins against the other.
Despite Sinner’s impressive record of winning 18 of his last 19 tie-breaks, Alcaraz showcased some of his finest tennis from a 0/3 deficit to clinch the match.
With his victory on the hard courts of Beijing, Alcaraz has become the first player to win an ATP 500 title on all three surfaces (hard, clay, and grass) since the series began in 2009. The 21-year-old is set to compete alongside Sinner at the upcoming Rolex Shanghai Masters.
Alcaraz’s win over Sinner also narrows his gap to the Italian in the ATP Year-End No. 1 race, presented by PIF. However, Alcaraz, currently in second place, remains 2,820 points behind the leading Sinner in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, which serves as a gauge for the Year-End No. 1 ranking.
