China Open—Beijing, China
Sinner, Alcaraz Reach Beijing Semifinals; Fils Advances to Tokyo Final
Monday’s action at the China Open in Beijing featured world No. 1 and No. 2 Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz advancing to the semifinals.
First up, Alcaraz used his fresh-form to dismiss No. 7 seed Karen Khachanov 7-5, 6-2.
Needing one hour and 36 minutes to advance, Alcaraz won 94 percent of his points at net, hit 26 winners and broke his Russian opponent on four occasions.
Improving to 46-9 on the year, Alcaraz will next face No. 3 seed Daniil Medvedev in the final four.
Medvedev ousted talented Italian Flavio Cobolli 6-2, 6-4.
Later in the day, Sinner took to the court to dispatch Jiri Lehecka 6-2, 7-6(6).
The recent US Open winner hit seven aces, won 88 percent of his first serve points and struck 14 winners.
Sinner will next face Yunchaokete Bu.
The inform Chinese star made his second consecutive semifinal on tour after defeating No. 4 seed Andrey Rublev 7-5, 6-4. Rublev had dismissed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina earlier in the day in a match that was carried over due to rain. The Russian star had won that match 6-4, 7-5.
Bu, who has moved up to No. 69 in the world, has defeated Lorenzo Musetti, Juncheng Shang, Karen Khachanov and Rublev in the past two weeks.
On the women’s side, top seed Ayrna Sabalenka, No. 3 seed Jasmine Paolini, No. 5 seed Qinwen Zheng, No. 17 seed Mirra Andreeva, No. 18 seed Madison Keys, No. 34 seed Amanda Anisamova, Naomi Osaka, Karolina Muchova and Cristina Bucsa all reached the round of 16.
Sabalenka will next face Keys, while Osaka will take on No. 3 seed Coco Gauff and Anisamova will go up against Zheng.
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Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships—Tokyo, Japan
An all-French final is set at the 2024 Japan Open. First up, Ugo Humbert needed one hour and 46 minutes to defeat Tomas Machac 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.
Using his lefty serve to great effect, Hubert struck eight aces, won 79 percent of his first serve points, broke serve on three occasions and added 39 winners to his victory.
Winning two titles earlier this year in Dubai, U.A.E. and Marseille, France, Hubert will next face countryman Arthur Fils for the title.
Fils used his forehand and court movement to dismiss No. 6 seed Holger Rune 7-6(8), 7-6(10).
The hard-fought victory took over two hour and 20 minutes to complete for Fils. He improves to 2-1 over Rune in lifetime meetings and will now bid for his second title of the season on Tuesday against Humbert.
The 20-year-old won his second-career title in Hamburg, Germany this past summer.
Fils and Humbert have met on three previous occasions, with Humbert leading 3-0.
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