Carlos Alcaraz continues his 2024 hot streak against Jannik Sinner, claiming the Beijing Open title in the process
At the start of the Beijing Open, there was only one match that fans wanted to see.
Sinner and Alcaraz have gone two for two at the Slams this year and have firmly announced themselves as the two best players on the planet. When both overcame tricky semi-final matches, fans got what they wanted and the two titans met for the third time this year.
Alcaraz had won their previous two meetings in 2024, but this was their first meeting in a final. Sinner, however, had won the Beijing Open in 2023 and was hopeful of retaining his title.
In set 1, Alcaraz took a commanding 4-1 lead, but Sinner battled back and managed to force a tie break. Alcaraz again took the early advantage and brought up set points at 6-4. But much like the early patterns in set 1, Sinner again rallied, eventually stealing the opening set 8-6 in the tiebreak and leading the final.
However, Alcaraz, not to be deterred by his set 1 misfortunes, came back strong in set 2, claiming its only break and taking it 6-4.
The Beijing Open final was going the distance.
In an enthralling third and final set, Alcaraz once again gathered the early initiative and broke the Sinner serve in the third game, then held his own serve to lead 3-1.
In his next service game, Sinner saved a further two break points to stay within touching distance of Alcaraz. This proved to be crucial only a few games later, as Sinner gained the breakback that he so desperately needed.
As the pair continued to trade blows, there would be nothing to separate them as the final went to third set tiebreak.
Much like in set 1, Alcaraz had the better of the majority of the tiebreak, bridging a large gap between himself and Sinner, winning six consecutive points to lead 6-3.
This time there was no letting up.
Alcaraz secured the win at the first time of asking, defeating his great rival for the third time this year in a 3 and a half hour marathon.
Every time Sinner and Alcaraz meet, there are fireworks.
In 2024, the pair have done what the tennis world has been asking of them and have dominated the Grand Slam scene, picking up two majors each.
The only thing left is for a Grand Slam final to be contested between the two.
Surely this will be delivered in 2025?
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