CARLOS Alcaraz was again a semi-finalist at the China Open as the Spaniard cruised to a 7-5, 6-2 win over Karen Khachanov to secure a place in the last four and a meeting with Daniil Medvedev at the ATP 500 event in Beijing.
Alcaraz was a consistent threat throughout the 96 minutes against Khachanov, who showed his quality but was unable to match his opponent’s tenacity.
“I always try to be aggressive, make strong shots, and I don’t feel afraid to show it. To try again and again. That’s how I feel right now,” said Alcaraz, quoted from the official ATP website, Tuesday (1/10) .
Also read: Alcaraz Enters Second Round of China Open
“In previous matches, everything went well, so I can’t complain at all. I know that I have to keep trying. I hit the ball very well, I move well, and I don’t let my opponents show their best tennis they.”
“It seems like this match suits my style. That’s what I like and what I want in every match,” he continued
the 21 year old tennis player.
Alcaraz, who lost to defending champion Jannik Sinner in last year’s semifinals in Beijing, according to ATP statistics, converted four of the 12 break points he earned against Khachanov.
Also read: Losing concentration, Alcaraz is eliminated in the semifinals of the China Open
With victory in his 46th tour-level match in 2024, Alcaraz moved up one spot to replace Alexander Zverev as world number two in the ATP rankings.
Alcaraz also leapfrogged Zverev into second place in the ATP Live Race To Turin as a result of his semi-final win.
The Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion, who has already qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals, is 2,890 points behind first-place Sinner in the battle for the ATP No 1 title at the end of the year.
Also read: Alcaraz Advances to Second Round of China Open
Waiting for Alcaraz in the top four in the Chinese capital is Daniil Medvedev. The third seed beat Flavio Cobolli 6-2, 6-4 to maintain his chances of winning his first ATP Tour title in 2024.
Second seed Alcaraz has a 5-2 lead over Medvedev in their head to head and won both of their tour level meetings so far this season at Indian Wells and at Wimbledon.
“It’s always difficult to face Medvedev. I played great matches against him earlier this year and over the last few years,” said Alcaraz.
“I’m ready to accept the challenge, try to play the best tennis to get through it. There’s always a war. Long matches, long rallies, when I play against him, but I’m ready to face the challenge,” he concluded. (Ant/Z-1)
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