Alcaraz rallies past Sinner to win China Open and make it 3-for-3 against his top rival this year

By The Associated Press on October 2, 2024.

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus serves against Madison Keys of the United States during their women's singles match of the China Open tennis tournament, at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

BEIJING (AP) – Carlos Alcaraz won seven straight points in the decisive tiebreaker to beat top-ranked Jannik Sinner 6-7 (6), 6-4, 7-6 (3) and win the China Open on Wednesday, extending his recent mastery over his biggest rival – who is dealing with an ongoing doping case.

The third-ranked Alcaraz has now won all three of his meetings with Sinner this year, having also come out on top in semifinals at Indian Wells and the French Open.

Alcaraz also ended Sinner’s winning streak at 14 matches and denied the Italian three straight titles after trophies in Cincinnati and at the U.S. Open.

Sinner, who was the defending champion in Beijing, had to refocus after the World Anti-Doping Agency announced on Saturday that it was appealing a decision to clear him of wrongdoing following two positive steroid tests.

Alcaraz wasted a 5-2 lead in the first set and also let Sinner get back in the third after leading 4-2 before eventually edging it out after also falling behind 3-0 in the final-set tiebreaker.

Sinner and Alcaraz have accounted for all four Grand Slam titles this year between them – evenly split at two each: Sinner won the Australian Open and the U.S. Open while Alcaraz won the French Open and Wimbledon.

Alcaraz improved to 6-4 in his career against Sinner after their 10th meeting in what has become tennis’ top rivalry following the 60 matches between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

WADA is seeking a ban of one to two years for Sinner in a case that might not be resolved before Sinner begins the defense of his Australian Open title in January.

Sinner tested positive twice for an anabolic steroid in March but was not banned in a decision by an independent tribunal announced by the International Tennis Integrity Agency in August because the ITIA determined he was not to blame.

Sinner’s accepted explanation was that the banned performance-enhancer entered his system unintentionally through a massage from his physiotherapist, who had used a spray containing the steroid to treat his own cut finger.

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