The world number three (will be number two after this victory), Carlos Alcaraz, defeated Italian Jannik Sinner in three hard-fought sets at the top of the table to conquer the ATP 500 in Beijing, the 16th tournament of the 21-year-old Spanish young player's career, this Wednesday in the Chinese capital, as reported by the Afp agency.
The clash between the two players expected to dominate the circuit in the coming years, who this season have shared the Grand Slam titles (two each), was won by the Spanish player by 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, and 7-6 (7/3) in almost three and a half hours of play.
As is usual for Alcaraz, he alternated moments of great brilliance (55 winners compared to his rival's 30) in the game with his classic lapses (52 unforced errors to 31).
That inconsistency prevented him, for example, from closing the first set with his serve after having taken the lead from the start.
He also did not take advantage of up to three break points (an area for improvement in his game) to win the first set, one at 6-5 in his favor and two more in the tiebreak.
Too many gifts for the world number one, who in the first opportunity he had to win the first set did not miss it.
Alcaraz was more consistent in the second set and did not lose his serve, which allowed him to extend the match thanks to the break achieved in the ninth game.
The Spanish player seemed on track for victory when he broke Sinner's serve again in the third game and took a 3-1 lead, but then experienced a 'lapse' and the Italian took advantage to regain the lead at 4-5 on serve.
In that game, Alcaraz was able to alternate great shots, like a volley against a shot from Sinner and a cross-court backhand that elicited an incredulous smile from the Italian, with unthinkable errors from a player who has already won four Grand Slam tournaments, but the Spanish player held on to his game to equalize at five games each.
Despite fatigue, both players showcased some of the best shots in their repertoire at those moments and delighted the Beijing audience with spectacular points, worthy of the two players who are expected to lead the great rivalry in the next decade.
The match was decided in the tiebreak, where Sinner took a 0-3 lead, but Alcaraz's best version emerged to score seven consecutive points and claim the title.