Three firsts in Beijing! Sinner claims China Open Men’s Singles Championship

Amidst the resounding applause on Wednesday night, sixth seed Jannik Sinner defeated second seed Daniil Medvedev 7-6(2) 7-6(2) to claim his first ever China Open title and his first win over Medvedev in his first journey in Beijing.

In the first set, both players were closely matched, with Sinner saving the only break point in the fifth game. In the tiebreak, Sinner, who had just won a tiebreak challenge against Carlos Alcaraz the day before, quickly built a 5-0 lead, eventually taking the set 7-2.

In the second set, both players continued their high level of performance, replicating the scoreline from the first set as they entered another tiebreak. Exhibiting the same focus and strong performance seen in recent tiebreaks, Sinner once again won the tiebreak 7-2, securing the victory.

Looking back at Sinner’s path to victory at the China Open, it was not without challenges. He experienced physical discomfort in the first round against Daniel Evans. Before his quarterfinal match against Grigor Dimitrov, he revealed being sick, even vomiting during the final set. 

Despite these obstacles, he delivered his best performances in the semi-final and final, first defeating top seed and two-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(4) 6-1, and then triumphing over second seed and former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev with two 7-6(2) sets.

He became the first player to defeat the top two seeds consecutively and claim the title at the China Open.

With Sinner’s victory, the first of the 2023 China Open’s “Double Final Day” came to an end. On Sunday, the women’s singles final will serve as the closing battle of the 2023 China Open.