Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, October 2, 2024
Photo credit: Lintao Zhang/Getty
If you become number one in the world, fireworks will explode Yannick Sinner Meet the most exciting athlete in the world Carlos Alcaraz.
Down 0-3 in the final set tiebreaker, Alcaraz won seven straight points, beating Sinner in a duel 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3) in a thrilling Beijing final.
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The win over Roland Garros and Wimbledon winner Alcaraz broke Sinner’s 15-match winning streak and 9-0 record, and he defeated the defending champion in a captivating final that Sinner has called one of the top five matches of his career.
“It’s definitely in the top three, top five. [matches I’ve played]“Sinner said, “7-6 in Game 3 of the final is always tough. I’m still young, but I’ve had great performances in the past.
“But yes, I’m always trying to grow and have new experiences. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. That’s the way it is in this sport. There are very highs and sometimes lows. It’s all good.”
Third-place Alcaraz defeated Sinner for the sixth time in 10 matches. Since losing to Sinner in the 2023 Beijing semifinals, Alcaraz has won their last three meetings in Indian Wells, Roland Garros semifinals and Beijing.
Chapter 10 of Sincaraz: Completed ✅
There is great respect between these two 👏@carlosalcaraz | @janniksin | @China Open | #China Open pic.twitter.com/KtS8Ar0yEE
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 2, 2024
The top-seeded Sinner won 18 of the last 19 tiebreakers before Alcaraz flipped the script with a final set-breaker.
“I think it’s a really good thing for tennis because when Jannik and I face each other, when we play against each other, we always have really strong matches, really close matches, good scores, great rallies,” Alcaraz said. “I think even people who don’t watch tennis are starting to watch or practice tennis thanks to games like this. I think that’s pretty good.
“I try to enjoy it as much as I can playing against him, but it’s not easy. I’m really happy. I mean, you can beat one of the best tennis players in the world, if not the best, so obviously you’re doing the right thing. “I feel like I’m doing the right thing.”
Sinner, a reigning US Open and Australian Open champion, said the final was a reminder that there was still work to be done.
“It’s always nice when we meet, right? We try to push ourselves and each other to the limit,” Sinner said. “For me he is the heart of where I work. Also today I saw some areas where I need to get better, not just him but the other players as well.
“It’s always good to share the court with him. I think the fans love it too. Usually the games are pretty long and physical and there are a lot of transitions. Yeah, like I said, it’s always good. It’s a privilege to share the court with him. Consider it an honor.”
