MATCH REPORT | 2024 China Open Final: Carlos Alcaraz defeats Jannik Sinner in Match of the Year contender

Carlos Alcaraz is the champion at the 2024 China Open after a huge match of more than 3 hours against Jannik Sinner (6-7, 6-4, 7-6) in which both proved to be the best players in the world at the moment.

Alcaraz survived adversity in both the opening set and the deciding set but proved his metal in some style sealing an epic win.

Great start for Carlitos

Carlitos started the match very active, making his backhand move, winning his serve and having three break points on Sinner's first serve. The Italian, saved 3 and in his next serve he had a break point that the player from Murcia saved. Tremendous start with the 2 best players in the world showing very aggressive.

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Alcaraz, however, continued to be very aggressive in the rest and in the next game managed to break the serve of the world number 1. He consolidated the break and went 4-1 in a set that confirmed the good sensations shown since the Laver Cup.

Carlos made it 5-2 against a rushed Sinner at the start of the match. In this rivalry it was usually the Spaniard who rushed in the long exchanges and it was Jannik who failed again and again, especially with the backhand. No cracks in Carlitos' tennis, one of the best of this year.

However, if anyone thought that Sinner was going to make it easy for him, the opposite was true. He was playing to avoid losing the first set, Sinner was much more aggressive and ended up breaking his serve: he was being inferior, but it was clear when he had to press. That's the thing about Sinner, you can't lose track of him even for a second, he is the world number 1 for a reason. It was 4-5 with serve for the Italian.

Sinner, better at key moments

The dynamic continued in the next game. We saw Carlos for the first time shaking his head and Jannik smiling after equalizing a set that seemed to be lost. After losing 3 games in a row, the Spaniard upped the pace and secured the tie break;

Jannik Sinner committed 2 double faults in the next game and complained about his knee, but the transalpine saved it and managed to force the sudden death. With the adversity he came back to resurface. Tremendous.

Before the start of the match Sinner had won 19 of the 25 tie breaks he had played and Charlie 10 of 14. Carlitos had two set balls, the first on the return and the second on his serve. He lost both. He got nervous against an impassive Jannik who came back to take the first set. He walked with lead feet when he was down and ended up closing the set 8-6 in the tie break.

The Italian saved 4 break points and 3 set points in a very even first set in which the world number 1 was better in the small details in the hot moments;

In the beginning of the second set, equality with both players winning with some solvency their services. With 3-3 equal Carlos returned to tighten the serve. He had 2 break balls and lost both of them. Another important moment of the match arrived and the Italian was again imperial with his serve. The best in the world in the pressure points. 1 of 7 in break balls for the player from El Palmar during the duel.

Losing two more break balls caused the doubts to return to the head of Alcaraz and Sinner got a break ball that, this time, saved the Murcian with an ace. He ended up taking the longest game of the match with much suffering and put the 4-4. Tremendous level of play of the 2 best in the world.

And this time the tables were turned. The Italian made 3 unforced errors with his forehand and Carlos this time took advantage to break his opponent's serve. What a mentality of the 2 to save tense situations. 5-4 and service for Carlitos. He did not fail and we were going to the third set. A beastly duel.

Beastly end to the match

The dynamics at the beginning of the third and definitely, as is logical, was in favor of a Carlos who again broke the service of his rival: he was 2-1 up. Carlitos could have gotten another break, but could not get it and it was clear that Jannik was not defeated despite being a break down in the third set and managed to equalize the match at 4. 

Thus, a Jannik who was on the ropes turned the scoreboard and went 5-4 with a Alcaraz who seemed to lower physical level. And we got to 5-5 on the scoreboard after saving a very complicated game. Anything could happen.

At 5-5 Carlitos had another break point, but Sinner reacted with a smash and secured the tiebreak. Charlie did not fail and the duel between the two best in the world, was resolved in the tie break. The victory finally came on the side of the Italian. Very aggressive from the start in the sudden death with a bestial confidence that ended him 

Alcaraz started 3-0 down, but mentally he didn't give up and managed to win four consecutive points to go 4-3 up. He then sent a forehand down the line to take a 5-3 lead. He got another mini break and was 6-3 with three match balls in his favor. Brutal. He ended up closing the duel and taking the China Open 2024;