SHANGHAI — Carlos Alcaraz and top-ranked Jannik Sinner showed no signs of fatigue in this week’s China Open final, advancing to Shanghai with comfortable straight wins in their opening match.
Second-seeded Alcaraz, who won his fourth title of the year by beating the Italian in Beijing on Wednesday, recorded his 10th straight win with a 6-2, 6-2 win over 19-year-old Xiang Juncheng of China.
The Spaniard stormed into his third-round meeting with another Chinese player, Wu Yibing, winning the first nine points of the match and four of the seven.
“I’m not used to playing against players younger than me,” Alcaraz said. “He has been playing good tennis recently and lifted his first ATP (Chengdu title), so I am sure he will rise up the rankings. I am really happy to be able to win this type of match.”
Sinner, who is dealing with a doping case, won his 250th career title with a comfortable 6-1, 6-4 victory over Japan’s Daniel Taro.
Sinner, who won his second major tournament of the year at the US Open last month, recorded 12 aces and 38 winners.
“I felt very comfortable today,” said Sinner, who next played Argentina’s Thomas Martin Echeverri. “I feel like I’m in good shape, which is very important for me. I’ve been serving really, really well, especially in key moments, and I’ve been moving well.”
Third-ranked Alexander Zverev started off by beating Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci 6-4, 6-2, and fourth-ranked Novak Djokovic had a tough match by beating Alex Michelsen 7-6(3), 7-6(9). unfolded. USA.
World No. 65 Jakub Mencik (Czech Republic) defeated No. 6 Andrey Rublev seven times and won 6-7(7), 6-4, 6-3.
Yosuke Watanuki also surprised by defeating world number 35 Brandon Nakashima 7-6(4), 6-3. The Japanese qualifier will face 7th place Taylor Fritz (USA) or qualifier Terence Atmane (France).
