Carlos Alcaraz made a remarkable comeback after losing the first set to defeat world number one Jannik Sinner in a thrilling match, securing his first China Open title on Wednesday. The four-time Grand Slam champion triumphed in a gripping final with scores of 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), marking his fourth ATP title of the year and his 16th overall. 

The Spaniard, who is poised to reclaim the number two ranking behind Sinner, found himself down 3-0 in the final-set tiebreak but rallied to win after three hours and 21 minutes of intense play. This match set the record for the longest men’s singles contest in China Open history, resulting in Sinner losing his title as the Beijing champion after a fierce battle.

Alcaraz described the victory as “special,” particularly following his unexpected second-round exit at the recent US Open. He expressed hope that such matches would attract more fans to the sport. 

“When Jannik and I compete, it’s beneficial for tennis because we consistently deliver intense, closely contested matches with great points and rallies,” he remarked. “I believe that for those who don’t typically watch tennis, these types of matches might inspire them to start watching or even playing.”

Sinner, the US Open champion, entered the Beijing final under increased scrutiny due to his ongoing doping case, which was reignited over the weekend when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced it had appealed a decision that cleared him. He acknowledged that this was one of the most challenging matches he had ever faced. 

“These matches can truly go either way, but today was not my day,” Sinner stated. “He performed better during the crucial moments, and that’s all there is to it.” He added, “All three sets were physically demanding.” 

In front of a full crowd, Sinner was the first to falter, as second-seeded Alcaraz broke serve to take a 3-1 lead in the opening set. Alcaraz maintained his advantage to go up 4-1, putting Sinner on the back foot. Although Alcaraz served for the set, Sinner managed to break back at a critical moment.

Sinner managed to save a set point while serving, which led to a tie break, where he saved another set point before clinching the set on his first opportunity as Alcaraz hit long.

This marked the first set that Alcaraz had lost all week.

The second set proved equally competitive, with both players missing opportunities but maintaining their serves until Alcaraz broke at 5-4 and then held serve to advance to a third set.

The final set also went to a tie break, where Alcaraz triumphed on his first match point. “It was a great battle again,” remarked Sinner, 23, who had tested positive for a steroid in March but was cleared of any wrongdoing, allowing him to continue competing.

In August, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted Sinner’s explanation that the substance entered his system unintentionally due to a spray used by his physiotherapist for a cut, followed by massage and sports therapy.

However, WADA announced on Saturday that it had appealed the decision and was seeking a ban of up to two years.

In the women’s competition, China’s Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen faced a tough match but ultimately defeated the 43rd-ranked American Amanda Anisimova with scores of 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. Zheng is set to compete against 17-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-finals.

This victory keeps her on track for a potential showdown with world number two Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals.

The top seed continued her strong performance with a decisive 6-4, 6-3 win over another American, Madison Keys. US Open champion Sabalenka will next face Karolina Muchova from the Czech Republic.