Carlos Alcaraz celebrates his victory over Daniil Medvedev in Beijing. © Twitter (@carlosalcaraz)
Carlos Alcaraz’s dominant run on the hard courts continued with a strong performance in the semi-final of the China Open, where he outclassed Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-3. The victory secured the Spaniard’s place in Beijing’s final ATP 500 event, marking his fifth tour-level final of the season. Alcaraz’s win, which took 88 minutes, showcased his resilience and ability to maintain focus, particularly in a first set that saw five breaks of serve.
The match began with both players trading breaks early on, as neither was able to hold serve consistently. Alcaraz initially took a 3-2 lead but quickly lost focus, allowing Medvedev to break back. However, Alcaraz regrouped, breaking Medvedev again to close the set 7-5. In the second set, Alcaraz shifted into a higher gear, capitalizing on Medvedev’s struggles, particularly after the Russian sought medical attention for a hip issue during changeovers at 2-3 and 3-4.
Despite Medvedev’s injury concerns, Carlos Alcaraz stayed focused and continued to push. He later reflected on the importance of not letting his opponent’s physical issues distract him, emphasizing the need to remain committed to his game. This mental fortitude was evident as Alcaraz maintained his level throughout, converting five of 11 break points and not allowing Medvedev any opportunity to regain momentum.
Alcaraz’s victory extended his winning streak to eight matches and made him the third player this season to reach five tour-level finals, joining Jannik Sinner and Casper Ruud. As he prepares for the final, Alcaraz will face either Jannik Sinner or the local favourite, Chinese wild card Buyunchaokete, in what promises to be an exciting championship match in Beijing.
