In an extraordinary China Open final, top-ranked opponent Jannik Sinner falls to rising star Carlos Alcaraz.
Following three exhausting rounds, Spain's Carlos Alcaraz clinched victory over world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, securing a 6-7, 6-4, 7-6 triumph to add his 16th ATP Tour title to his collection.
Both athletes displayed remarkable skill during this engaging encounter, validating their standing as two of the game's top performers nowadays.
Although Alcaraz now boasts a 3-0 season record against Sinner, the No. 3-ranked Spaniard extended his admiration for the Italian.
"It was a seriously close contest,” Alacaraz shared post-victory.
"Jannik, once again, demonstrated that he's probably the world's best player – at least in my book. His game is off the charts incredible. The standard of tennis he plays, it's mind-blowing. Physically, mentally, he's a beast."
Both participants shared this season's four major trophies – Sinner clinching the Australian Open and US Open titles, while Alcaraz captured Wimbledon and Roland Garros crowns.
Initially, Alcaraz racked up an early lead in the first set. However, Sinner found his stride and managed to salvage three set-point leads, ultimately triumphed in a nerve-wracking first-set tiebreak.
The Italian, riding a 15-match winning streak, continued to stamp his authority on the second set, placing heavy pressure on Alcaraz. Despite numerous break opportunities, Alcaraz managed to cope, eventually tying the score at 1-set apiece to send the clash into a decider.
"I'm truly ecstatic I managed to win"
Alcaraz seemed to be on the offensive in the third set, building a comfortable 3-1 advantage. However, Sinner refused to waver and fought back, evening the score during a tense three-set tiebreak.
Alcaraz then took full control, winning seven consecutive points to seal victory after an intense three-hour, 21-minute struggle – boasting the longest match run in tournament history.
"I'm truly ecstatic that I managed to pull through in the third set," Alcaraz noted after one of this year's most thrilling matches. "Even though Sinner broke my serve again, and our position was extremely tight, I kept pushing and eventually found the win."
With this triumph, Alcaraz became the first athlete to secure ATP 500 titles on all three surfaces since the series' inception in 2009.
Sinner's defeat occurred at an unproitious time that calls for his presence away from the tennis court.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has lodged a protest to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following an independent tribunal's decision that Sinner was not liable for testing positive for a prohibited substance twice in March 2024.
The 23-year-old athlete has thus far evaded a competition ban since the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) stated in August that he was not responsible for the Positive Clostebol testing findings, despite samples taken eight days apart at Indian Wells in March registering minimal Clostebol quantities.
After showcasing their talent during an intense match, Alcaraz and Sinner's skills in tennis continue to solidify their positions as top athletes in the sport. Despite Sinner's victory at the Australian Open and US Open, Alcaraz emerged triumphant in this latest encounter, adding another ATP Tour title to his collection.
