Carlos Alcaraz reaches of China Open final, beats Medvedev


Carlos Alcaraz China Open Tennis

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain reacts after defeating Daniil Medvedev of Russia in a men’s singles semi-final match for the China Open tennis tournament held at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

BEIJING — Third-ranked Carlos Alcaraz’s athleticism was again on show as he advanced to the final of the China Open with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Daniil Medvedev on Tuesday.

“I felt great on the court once again, so I’m really happy about it,” Alcaraz said. “I think I couldn’t ask for a better semifinal.”

Article continues after this advertisement

The four-time Grand Slam champion — including this year’s French Open and Wimbledon — extended his head-to-head record against the Russian to 6-2. Alcaraz will play either top-ranked Jannik Sinner or Chinese wild card Bu Yunchaokete, who play later Tuesday, in the final.

READ: Carlos Alcaraz reaches winning landmark at China Open

The 21-year-old Spaniard found his way through a testing first set that had five breaks of serve, but crucially it was Alcaraz’s third service break in the 12th game that secured the set.

Article continues after this advertisement

With the confidence of a set lead, Alcaraz accelerated and Medvedev had no answers as the Spaniard wrapped up the semifinal in 88 minutes.

Article continues after this advertisement

Alcaraz has now won eight straight matches — across the Davis Cup, Laver Cup and in Beijing — since his loss to Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round at the U.S. Open.

Article continues after this advertisement

Pegula crashes out

Jessica Pegula Paula Badosa China Open Tennis

Jessica Pegula of the United States returns a shot from Paula Badosa of Spain in a women’s singles match for the China Open tennis tournament held at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Paula Badosa reeled off 11 of the last 12 games in a 6-4, 6-0 victory over U.S. Open finalist Jessica Pegula at the China Open to reach her eighth career quarterfinal at a WTA 1000-level event.

From 3-1 down in the opening set, former No. 2-ranked Badosa dominated in her first-ever win over third-ranked Pegula.

Article continues after this advertisement

“She’s one the of the players I never want to face — she’s very solid, hits very flat, changes very well direction,” said Badosa, who was 0-3 previously against Pegula. “I prepared myself for a battle, but I think today everything worked pretty well.

READ: China hails ‘Queen Wen’, the tennis star who fulfilled a dream

“Every point was very important for me, especially against Jessica, because she can come back at any moment.”

Badosa next faces 35-year-old Chinese player Zhang Shuai, who continued her resurgence with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Magdalena Frech of Poland.

Zhang entered the China Open on a 24-match losing streak and ranked No. 595, but she’s yet to drop a set in four matches this week. That includes eliminating U.S. Open semifinalist Emma Navarro in straight sets for her first win over a Top 10 player in two years.

Zhang is now into her first women’s tour quarterfinal since Tokyo in 2022, and her first at a WTA 1000 tournament since Cincinnati in the same year.

“In this draw, everyone has a higher ranking than me,” Zhang said. “Just step on court, just play. So I do not have much to think about, to prepare. I will just focus on myself.”

Yuliia Starodubtseva of Ukraine also caused an upset loss beating No. 14-ranked Anna Kalinskaya 7-5, 6-0.

The No. 115-ranked Starodubtseva will play the winner of the marquee women’s match of the day between four-time major winner Naomi Osaka and sixth-ranked Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals.



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.


Your subscription has been successful.

It will be the first meeting between the two Grand Slam champions in more than two years, with the head-to-head series tied at 2-2.