The final of the tournament in Beijing between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner was very well received by the fans. The two young champions created a memorable battle that saw the Spaniard prevail in the decisive tiebreak, despite the Italian ace having won the first set and being 3-0 ahead in the third set. The 21-year-old from Murcia has raised his level just one step away from defeat, scoring seven consecutive points and winning his fourth title of the season.
Carlos Alcaraz, Beijing Open 2024© Stream screenshot
The former world number 1 has returned in a great way after having suffered a lot last month, especially due to the defeat in the final of the Olympics in Paris and at the US Open. Carlitos himself admitted that he had lost his confidence and desire to play tennis, but he worked hard together with his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero and returned to his best level.
Despite suffering his sixth defeat in 2024, Jannik can also be very satisfied with his tournament. The 23-year-old from San Candido played in Beijing after receiving the bad news of WADA’s appeal against the acquittal, but he still reached the final proved a really remarkable mental strength.
A nice rivalry
After the beautiful final in Beijing, Alcaraz and Sinner took the same plane to reach Shanghai where the eighth Masters 1000 of the season is being played. The rivalry between Jannik and Carlitos is electrifying fans and insiders alike, who are wondering which of these two players is likely to win more titles in the coming years.
Thanks to his victory in the final of the ATP 500 tournament in Beijing, Carlos Alcaraz took a 6-4 lead in the main event against Jannik Sinner. The Spaniard has won his 16th title in a career, showing once again that he has an extraordinary personality. The 21-year-old lost a first set that he could have won – at least considering the advantage – and found himself 6-6 in the third after being only one point away from the double break. Down 0-3 in the tie-break, he didn’t think about the score and got back 7-3 playing some fantastic points.
Carlos Alcaraz, Beijing Open 2024© Stream screenshot
Miles Maclagan, former coach of Andy Murray, has been unbalanced by the rivalry between the two young stars of the ATP Tour at Sky Sports. “The differences between Alcaraz and Sinner are discussed and it is said that the Italian is more consistent in all aspects, but that the best Alcaraz could be the strongest overall. His athleticism is phenomenal, the attitude is first class and he rarely misses the shot during matches. You wonder if he’s having a bit too much fun sometimes, but you understand that it’s part of his game,” explained Maclagan.
“The best players learn very quickly and maybe there are some days when Alcaraz takes a break, but now he’s getting better at this. Let’s talk about the highest level possible in the wake of the incredible summer he became the protagonist by winning the Roland Garros and defending the title at Wimbledon. He is getting used to playing at the highest level with consistency.”
The Italian ace and the Spanish champion are still very young and have plenty of time to put new weapons in their arsenal. The two young champions could win again in the semi-final of the Masters 1000 in Shanghai, although both will have to recover their energy spent in Beijing.
Rick Macci on Alcaraz
In a post on his official X account, legendary coach Rick Macci paid tribute to Alcaraz: “He is the most complete player I have ever seen. Every box is checked from the technical to mental with imagination and inspiration. Throw in turbo speed and cotton soft hands and drop shot with better disguise than any Halloween costume in the room.
Carlos Alcaraz, Beijing Open 2024© Stream screenshot
The Spanish magician (Alcaraz) and Italian flamethrower (Sinner) are cut from the same cloth. Both have the juice and play loose. Both are getting better and have that DNA Grand Slam inner quality like Joker, Rafa and Federer. The Spanish magician is a rare blend of Fed (Federer) with feel. Rafa Nadal with Grind. Joker (Djokovic) with Elasticity. Andre Agassi with compaction. Lets sprinkle in an Olympic sprinter with traction.”
The World number 1 will make his debut in Shanghai on Saturday against Taro Daniel, while the world number 2 will have a more complicated debut against young Chinese talent Shang. The latter has a really huge potential and recently won his first ATP title in Chengdu, defeating Italian ace Lorenzo Musetti in two sets. Both have the chance to earn points in Shanghai, having been prematurely eliminated in 2023.