In a thrilling match at the China Open, Jannik Sinner defeated the local favorite Bu Yunchaokete 6-3, 7-6(3) to secure a spot in the final against second seed Carlos Alcaraz. Sinner, who eliminated Alcaraz in the semifinals last year, will now face him with his title defense at the ATP 500 event at stake after a challenging battle against Bu. Alcaraz, on the other hand, had a convincing win over Daniil Medvedev in straight sets during the day session on Tuesday.
The top seed and defending champion, Jannik Sinner, booked his place in the final with a solid performance against the Chinese wildcard, Bu Yunchaokete. Despite not being at his best, Sinner managed to handle both his opponent’s excellent play and the support of the home crowd on the Beijing show court.
Sinner, ranked No. 1 in the world, showed his class by winning the match 6-3, 7-6(3) and extending his impressive winning streak to 15 consecutive matches. Bu, ranked 96th in the world, made history by becoming the first Chinese man to reach the semifinals in Beijing, much to the delight of the local fans.
The crowd was treated to a display of high-quality tennis as Bu put up a strong fight against the defending champion. Despite showcasing great skills with his net volleys and drop shots, Bu couldn’t quite match Sinner’s level of play to pull off another upset.
Reflecting on his tough match, Sinner admitted, “Today was a very tough match because I didn’t know him at all, so I didn’t know exactly what to expect. I had some chances in the second set, like yesterday against Jiri Lehecka, to break a bit earlier, I couldn’t use them, so I tried to stay there mentally somehow.”
Sinner started the match aggressively with a flawless service game, putting pressure on Bu from the start. Although Bu initially struggled to find his first serves, he gradually settled into the match with the support of the 13,000-seat Diamond Court.
Despite Sinner’s early dominance, Bu managed to hold his own and deny the defending champion any break opportunities in the opening stages of the match. Sinner, however, showcased his finesse with a well-executed drop shot, creating a chance to break Bu’s serve early on.
Overall, it was a captivating contest that saw Sinner emerge victorious, setting the stage for an exciting final showdown with Carlos Alcaraz. The tennis fans eagerly await the clash between the two talented players as they battle for the prestigious title at the China Open.