China Open: Carlos Alcaraz recovers to beat Jannik Sinner in dramatic final

Since suffering a shock second-round exit at the US Open, Alcaraz has bounced back to win nine matches in a row, including helping Team Europe win the Laver Cup last month.

Alcaraz appeared to be on track for the perfect start when he moved into a 5-2 lead in the opening set, however, Sinner saved two set points to force a tie-break, which he went on to win.

The pivotal moment in the second arrived in the ninth game, when Alcaraz seized his opportunity to secure a break before serving out for the set to take it to a decider.

There has been little to separate the pair in the early stages of their careers, with their head-to-head record now 6-4 in Alcaraz’s favour, and it was another fine example of what the future of tennis has to offer in Beijing.

Sinner has made a habit of winning big games over the course of 2024, prevailing in all six of his previous finals – including the Australian Open and US Open – and he found an extra gear to mount another fightback in the final set.

Trailing 4-2 in the third, Sinner won three successive games to wrestle back momentum and send the encounter to a match-deciding tie-break.

Sinner looked firmly in control after opening up a 3-0 advantage, but Alcaraz would not be denied.

He rattled off seven successive points to claim victory and make it three wins on the bounce against the two-time Grand Slam champion.

“During the whole week I’ve been playing great tennis, some luck went to my side but I felt great on the court too,” Alcaraz said.

The win means he is the first player to win an ATP 500 title on all three surfaces.