Alcaraz celebrates his 200th victory at the China Open. © Twitter (@ItzzZain10)
Beijing Carlos Alcaraz showcased his exceptional talent at the China Open on Sunday, defeating Tallon Griekspoor 6-1, 6-2 to celebrate his 200th tour-level victory. This impressive feat makes Alcaraz the third player born in this century to reach the 200-win mark, joining fellow stars Jannik Sinner and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
After the match, the 21-year-old Spaniard expressed his joy, stating, “I’m really happy about it; 200 wins is a great number. But I am already looking for the third hundred. I just want to keep going, to keep rolling. I am looking forward to playing matches and to keep doing the things that I am doing.”
Pegula’s Late-Season Surge
In the women’s tournament, third-ranked Jessica Pegula demonstrated her resilience in a tough matchup against Veronika Kudermetova. After dropping the first set in a marathon tiebreaker, Pegula rallied to secure a 6-7 (9), 6-1, 6-2 victory, propelling her into the fourth round. The American has been on a remarkable run, winning 17 of her last 19 matches, including a title defense in Toronto and finalist appearances in Cincinnati and the U.S. Open.
The match against Kudermetova, ranked 39th, marked Pegula’s first victory against her in three encounters. Next, she faces 15th-seeded Paula Badosa, who triumphed over Rebecca Sramkova with a score of 7-5, 7-5.
Local Talent Shines
In an exciting turn of events, local favorite Bu Yunchaokete upset Paris Olympics bronze medalist Lorenzo Musetti, claiming victory with a score of 6-2, 6-4. This win marks the 22-year-old’s first victory against a top-20 player. Bu will face either fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the next round.
Seventh-seeded Karen Khachanov found a way to win against Argentine Francisco Cerundolo, despite making 15 fewer winners and committing four more unforced errors. Khachanov edged out Cerundolo with a score of 7-6 (4), 7-6 (9), earning a spot in the quarterfinals where he will face Alcaraz.
For Carlos Alcaraz to rise to No. 2 in the rankings, he must at least reach the semifinals this week, with Alexander Zverev absent from the tournament due to illness.
Japan Open Highlights
Across the region at the Japan Open, sixth-seeded Holger Rune of Denmark defeated home favorite Kei Nishikori with a score of 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 in the quarterfinals. Arthur Fils of France also made headlines by beating defending champion Ben Shelton 7-5, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2). Tomas Machac secured his semifinal spot with a 7-6 (2), 6-3 victory against American qualifier Alex Michelsen.
Machac will face Ugo Humbert in the semifinals, as Humbert advanced by walkover against Jack Draper, who retired during their match due to injury.
As the tournaments progress, both Alcaraz and Pegula continue to make headlines, demonstrating their determination and skill as they compete for further success on the ATP and WTA tours.
