This Tuesday, October 1, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev will meet for the eighth time in their respective careers. The Spaniard holds a 5-2 advantage over the Russian, having won the last three matches in which they have met. The last time they met was in the Wimbledon semifinals, with a 6-7(1), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 result.
This time, they will fight for a place in the final of the China Open. Last year, Medvedev reached the title match, losing to Jannik Sinner by 6-7(2) and 6-7(2), Alcaraz's tormentor in the semis. The Spaniard has already defended the points and now hopes to do better than in the previous edition, where he lost to the Italian 6-7(4), 1-6. The world No. 1 is on the other side of the draw and could be the opponent next Wednesday.
In this article, we will analyze the 3 main keys for Carlitos to defeat the Russian.
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Maintaining concentration
Alcaraz usually starts his matches focused, but when he manages to break his opponent's serve, he sometimes falls apart. The latest example of this has been in the quarterfinals, when he took the lead in the first set against Karen Khachanov, but immediately after he gave it back and lost the advantage. Finally, he managed to take the set and the match because he is very good, but against players of Medvedev's stature he must avoid having those slumps.
Taking advantage of Medvedev's lows
If we talk about ups and downs, Medvedev has quite a few. When he is at his best level, he is one of the most complicated players to face in the circuit. But if Carlitos takes advantage of those moments of doubt that the Russian has, he will generate problems for him.
Remain aggressive
Alcaraz is playing very aggressively in Beijing, both with his forehand and backhand. From the back of the court, going up to the net a lot, varying his game as usual, with spectacular drop shots, lobs and volleys. Against Medvedev, he will have to attack the world number 5's second serve.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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