Jannik Sinner, the current world No. 1, fought through a tough match against Chinese wildcard Bu Yunchaokete to secure a spot in the China Open final. Sinner’s victory in Beijing sets up an exciting final showdown against Carlos Alcaraz.
Despite the pressure from a home crowd and the ongoing controversy regarding his doping case, Sinner remained focused. He defeated Bu, ranked 96th in the world, with a score of 6-3, 7-6 (7/3). The 23-year-old Italian avoided a potential upset in the semifinals, keeping his title defense alive.
Bu, playing the biggest match of his career on China’s national day, showed impressive form throughout the game. He had reached the semifinals of the Hangzhou tournament just a week earlier. Early in the first set, Bu put Sinner under pressure on his serve, but Sinner held firm and weathered the storm.
The second set saw both players battle to a tie break, where Sinner eventually prevailed, serving an ace to convert his third match point after more than two hours of play.
Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz secured his place in the final with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Daniil Medvedev, the third seed from Russia. Alcaraz, who has not lost a set in the tournament, is in excellent form as he heads into his first final in Beijing.
Sinner’s triumph comes despite the resurfacing of his doping case. Earlier this year, Sinner was cleared of wrongdoing after testing positive for traces of a banned steroid. The substance was reportedly introduced accidentally during treatment for a cut. However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed the decision, seeking a ban of up to two years. Sinner admitted that the situation has caused him sleepless nights.
The much-anticipated final between Sinner and Alcaraz will take place on Wednesday.
