China Open: Alcaraz downs Sinner in record-breaking final

Carlos Alcaraz has dethroned Jannik Sinner at the China Open, defeating the defending champion on Wednesday in the longest final in the ATP 500 tournament’s history.

Tennis bookmakers had Alcaraz as a slight favourite at $1.80 to win the final, and the clash lived up to expectations, lasting for three hours and 21 minutes as the Spaniard prevailed 6-7 (6), 6-4, 7-6 (3) for his third victory over Sinner this season.

Heading into the final, Sinner was on a 16-match winning streak. When he saved three set points and won his 18th tiebreak from his last 19 attempts, the Italian seemed on track to add to his unbeaten run.

But Alcaraz continued with his offensive tennis, blazing 55 winners and tightening up his unforced errors to win a high-quality affair.

“When Jannik and I face each other, playing against each other, I think it’s a really good thing for tennis because we always show a really intense match, really close match, great points, great rallies,” the 21-year-old said after his victory.

“It was a really close match.

“I mean, Jannik could win in straight sets. I could win in two sets.”

Speaking to media after the victory, Alcaraz revealed what the title in Beijing meant to him after a challenging last two months on the ATP Tour.

“After the American swing, I was a little bit down,” the soon-to-be world No.2 confessed.

“I didn’t want to touch a racquet for a while.

“I didn’t want to travel, let’s say.”

Alcaraz only managed one victory across the North American hardcourt swing in 2024, going down in the first round of the Cincinnati Masters to Gael Monfils before losing in the second round of the US Open to Botic van de Zandschulp.

“We all know what we went through the last month or the last two months,” he said.

“It was a really difficult moment on the court, off the court.

“After that we talk a lot during those days, knowing that I have to be back practicing, be stronger physically, be stronger mentally just to overcome on those problems.

“The last month we’ve been working really, really hard on the court, off the court, just to be able to feel this moment again.

“Thanks to them (Alcaraz’s team) I started to get the joy back playing the matches, practicing, I got motivated again.

“I really wanted to travel, to play tournaments again.”

Immediately after the China Open final, Alcaraz and Sinner shared a private jet to the Shanghai Masters, which got underway on Wednesday.

Most tennis betting sites have the duo at the head of the outright market for that event, with Alcaraz’s odds shortening slightly after his victory over Sinner.

The four-time major champion has firmed from $3 into $2.87 at Bet365 to claim the final Masters 1000 title of 2024, ahead of Sinner’s $4.33 and Novak Djokovic’s $4.75.

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