Alcaraz fights back to down defending champion Sinner and win China Open

BEIJING: Carlos Alcaraz rallied from a set down and held his nerve in a deciding tiebreak to beat defending champion Jannik Sinner 6-7(6) 6-4 7-6(3) in the China Open final on Wednesday (Oct 2) and win his fourth title of the season.

French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz, who won both of his previous meetings with Sinner this year, recovered from a slow start to wrap up victory in three hours, 21 minutes and improve his head-to-head record with the Italian to 6-4.

While the stage might not have been as grand as it was in some of their recent encounters, Sinner and Alcaraz pushed each other to the limit in the latest chapter of the burgeoning rivalry that has taken the ATP Tour by storm.

"He could have won in two, I could have won in two, it was a really close match. Jannik once again showed that he's the best player in the world, with the level that he's playing," Alcaraz, 21, said.

"It is unbelievable, it's a really high quality of tennis, physically, mentally, he's a beast.

"I had my chances in the first set but didn't make it, but in general I'm proud of myself. The way that I dealt with the match, the way that I managed everything. For me, it was a really good match."

After both players defended break points in a cagey start, Alcaraz seized the early break for a 3-1 lead when Sinner's backhand went wide, before consolidating the advantage in the next as his Italian opponent netted a shot.

World number one Sinner, whose last win over Alcaraz came in the semi-finals of this tournament last year, gradually found his range to level at 5-5 and save two set points in the tiebreak to clinch the first set.

Alcaraz was on the ropes early in the second set and Sinner pushed him hard in a 15-minute game, but the second seed