China Open Day 7: Alcaraz advances to semi-finals, Chinese players win three matches

Super Monday witnessed intense competition in men’s singles and the completion of the first round in women’s singles.

In the men’s singles quarterfinals, top seed and two-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz recovered from falling 0-3 behind in the first set and defeated Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-2, marking his fourth consecutive victory against Ruud.

Italian rising star and No.6 seed Jannik Sinner overpowered Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, setting up a match against Alcaraz.

Second seed and 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev recovered from a mid-match dip to down Ugo Humbert 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, securing his first victory against the latter in three attempts.

No.8 seed Alexander Zverev defeated Chilean Nicolas Jarry 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-3, extending his winning streak to 7 matches in the Chinese season. This is also the third time in his career that he has reached the semifinals of the China Open. He will once again face Medvedev in the next round.

In the women’s singles matches, both the first and second rounds were played simultaneously.

Four matches involving Chinese players were also decided. French Open doubles champion Wang Xinyu defeated wildcard player Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 6-3, securing her first victory in the China Open.

Asian Games champion Zheng Qinwen lost to Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina 1-6, 2-6. Yuan Yue, who defeated Elise Mertens in the first round, was reversed by Italian Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 3-6, 4-6. Zhu Lin, who made a significant career breakthrough this year, had to retire due to dizziness when trailing 0-6, 0-3 against Lesia Tsurenko.

In matches on the Diamond Court and Lotus Court, four-time Grand Slam champion and second seed Iga Swiatek downed Spanish Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-4, 6-3. No.7 seed Ons Jabeur defeated qualifier Ashlyn Krueger. New US Open champion and third seed Coco Gauff overcame Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-5, 6-3. No.12 seed Petra Kvitova lost 4-6, 5-7 to Liudmila Samsonova.

In other matches, former tournament champion Caroline Garcia beat qualifier Kateryna Baindl 6-2, 6-4. No.11 seed Daria Kasatkina came back from a set down to defeat Egyptian Mayar Sherif 1-6, 6-4, 7-6(8). Anhelina Kalinina, who upset Marketa Vondrousova in the first round, defeated Daria Saville 6-2, 7-6(5). Jennifer Brady, the 2021 Australian Open runner-up, retired after being down 1-3 in the first set, allowing her opponent Magda Linette to advance. Linda Noskova withdrew before the match due to illness, giving Jelena Ostapenko a walkover into the third round.

In the men’s doubles quarterfinals, second seeds Neal Skupski and Wesley Koolhof cruised past Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski 6-2, 6-3. Fourth seeds Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin survived Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 10-5.

In the women’s doubles first round, two Chinese pairs performed strongly. Wildcard pair Yuan Yue and Wang Xiyu defeated Jelena Ostapenko and Lyudmyla Kichenok 6-1, 6-3, only losing four games. Guo Hanyu and Jiang Xinyu downed Jasmine Paolini and Mayar Sherif 7-5, 7-5.

Chinese Taipei player Chan Hao-Ching, partnering with Giuliana Olmos, defeated Sorana Cirstea and Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-3, 6-4, while her sister 
Latisha Chan, in collaboration with Yana Sizikova, lost 2-6, 6-4, 4-10 to Luisa Stefani and Ingrid Martins. Vera Zvonareva and Laura Siegemund overcame Miyu Kato and Aldila Sutjiadi 7-5 7-6(4). Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez swept past Oksana Kalashnikova and Miriam Kolodziejova 6-1, 6-2. Beatriz Haddad Maia and Veronika Kudermetova defeated Alexandra Panova and Anna Danilina 6-4, 4-6, 10-7.