Tennis ATP Beijing Beijing Men's Singles -

Jannik Sinner 'happy how he handled' tough Jiri Lehecka test in Beijing, Carlos Alcaraz ready for Daniil Medvedev 'war'

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Jannik Sinner overcame a tough test against Jiri Lehecka to reach the last four at the China Open, winning 6-2 7-6(6) and withstanding a late fightback from the talented young Czech. In the day session in Beijing, Carlos Alcaraz's smooth progression continued as he beat Karen Khachanov 7-5 6-2 in a tricky, physical encounter to also reach the semi-finals, where he will face Daniil Medvedev.

Medvedev to face Alcaraz in China Open semis after beating Cobolli

Video credit: SNTV

Jannik Sinner won his first match since WADA announced it would appeal his exoneration in a doping case, moving into the semi-finals at the China Open with a hard-fought 6-2 7-6(6) win over Jiri Lehecka.

The world No. 1 looked business-like and calm as he took the first set in just over half an hour, but overcame a late scare as Lehecka raised his level, saving two set points in the tiebreak to avoid a decider.

But ultimately Sinner's quality prevailed and he booked a spot in a 10th semi-final this season to continue his Beijing title defence.

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"I felt like I had some chances in the second set, I couldn't use them, then it gets a bit tricky," Sinner said afterwards.

"I was serving on 5-5, he had a couple of break points but I served well fortunately. [In] a tie-break everything can happen, I was down and then I returned well on 4-6, served well on 5-6, so happy how I handled a tough situation.

"I feel like I can still improve a couple of things here so hopefully tomorrow is going to be that day where I feel better on the court.

"Jiri, we played in Indian Wells so we know each other a little bit more now. He is a very tough player to play against so I'm very happy to be in the next round."

Alcaraz beats Khachanov to set up Medvedev semi-final

Video credit: SNTV

He added: "We always try to improve, day by day, and I feel like the results are coming on what level you're playing throughout the whole season, how consistent you are as a player, and you also have to be ready mentally to do that.

"We just try to stay in the present moment, we know what we have done this season, which is great for me. But every match we see that we can improve, which is good. I changed the physical team, we saw there is a lot of work to do."

Lehecka, a huge talent, won his first tour title at Adelaide in January and has shown flashes of promise, recently upsetting Medvedev in straight sets in Cincinnati. But the Czech has struggled with injury this year, missing three months of competition since retiring with a stress fracture in his back at the Madrid Masters semi-finals.

He initially failed to really trouble Sinner, who won their only previous encounter in straight sets at Indian Wells earlier this year, and the Italian motored through the opening set in just 32 minutes. The early stages were dominated by brutal baseline rallies as the Czech tried to out-hit his opponent, but that strategy didn't work against Sinner. The Italian secured an early break to move 3-1 up as Lehecka palmed a down-the-line shot wide.

Lehecka looked positive throughout and mixed up his game with some delicate drop shots, but Sinner continually forced him into errors and he could not trouble his opponent on serve. Serving to stay in the set, Lehecka overcooked a series of shots and although he saved one break point, he netted on the second to hand over the opening set.

Sinner began the next set in similar fashion, slamming down two aces to go 1-0 up, but Lehecka began to assert himself more and take time away from the world No. 1. Chances came and went, with Sinner squandering the chance to break at 4-3 and 5-4 up, when a crisp forehand down the line sealed a crucial hold for Lehecka.

Emboldened by his improved performance and the encouragement of the Diamond Court crowd, who were keen to see more, Lehecka attacked Sinner's next service game and the pressure began to tell as he fought his way to deuce. Sinner had faced no break points until now but had to shut down several in a lengthy, ten-minute game. It saw the best and worst of Sinner's serving as he double faulted twice while also firing down two aces, eventually holding for 5-5.

Undeterred, Lehecka continued to press on and forced a tie-break, where momentum swung back and forth. Sinner hit long for 3-5, but Lehecka could not convert his two set points and Sinner turned the tide back. An unreturnable serve by the Italian levelled things out at 6-6, before the Czech netted twice to send Sinner into the last four.

ALCARAZ READY FOR 'WAR' WITH MEDVEDEV IN LAST FOUR

Earlier on Monday, Carlos Alcaraz continued his dominant run at the China Open with a straight-sets victory over Karen Khachanov to reach the semi-finals, and set up an intriguing clash with Daniil Medvedev.

The Spaniard only needed 56 minutes to sweep aside Tallon Griekspoor in his previous round, but this was a tougher test against the big-serving Khachanov.

But Alcaraz maintained his 100% head-to-head record against the Russian with a 7-5 6-2 victory, coming out on top in a tricky, hour-long first set before his opponent faded in the second.

Seventh seed Khachanov has been ranked as highly as eighth in the world but has endured a more difficult season this year, and he was unable to combat Alcaraz's combination of power and deftness despite breaking to move ahead in the first set.

Speaking afterwards, Alcaraz said: "I always try to be aggressive, hitting strong shots, and I'm feeling like I'm not afraid to show that, to try again and again.

"If I fail the shot I'm not afraid to keep trying, so that's what I'm feeling right now. In the last matches everything went well so I can't complain at all.

"I know that I have to keep trying because I think I'm hitting the ball really well, I'm moving well so I don't let my opponents show their best tennis, so the match is in my style. That's what I like, what I want in every match."

It was a high-quality start to the match from both players, with Alcaraz's blistering forehand causing plenty of problems as the Spaniard came out on top in an early net exchange as Khachanov lobbed a tweener wide, to the delight of the Diamond Court crowd.

But Khachanov was immediately put under pressure on serve. He saved a break point in his first service game and applied some pressure of his own in response, but both held until the fifth game, when Alcaraz stepped up a gear.

He rushed Khachanov at the net with a whipped cross-court forehand, earning two break points with another forehand which just kissed the baseline. Alcaraz returned long twice to let Khachanov get back to deuce, but a sublime backhand return to a body serve set up a third break point, and he clinched it as the Russian netted.

Khachanov responded brilliantly, extracting errors from Alcaraz to immediately break back for 3-3 and storming to a love hold to keep the pressure high.

But Alcaraz upped the ante again and Khachanov was forced to dig deep in his next service game, dragged to deuce from 40-0 up, and a mammoth game unfolded. An overcooked backhand by Alcaraz secured the hold after several deuces, but the intensity of the baseline rallies and physical nature of the contest began to take its toll on the Russian.

Alcaraz held serve for 5-5 and once again Khachanov let slip a lead on serve, double faulting on game point to let Alcaraz in. The Spaniard was lucky with a net cord and earned another break point with a lob - itself an achievement against his 6'6" opponent. Khachanov fired long to hand over the break and although he had chances to send the first set to a tiebreak, Alcaraz stayed on the front foot and wrapped up the set with a smash down the centre.

The opening set took an hour and three minutes, longer than Alcaraz's entire match against Griekspoor, and the effects of being dragged around the court by the Spaniard began to tell on Khachanov.

He was once again under pressure in his first service game of the second set, but wrestled control from deuce with a combination of powerful serving and some deft net play of his own.

But he failed to apply any real pressure on Alcaraz's serve and the 21-year-old secured the crucial break at 3-2, charging forward to put away a net volley, before denting Khachanov's resolve with a love hold to back up the break.

The Russian began to look tired, struggling to respond to Alcaraz's frequent trips to the net. A delicate drop shot secured a double break for Alcaraz at 5-2 and he stormed ahead in his next service game, bringing up three match points with a deft angled volley. He only needed one as Khachanov netted to send the rampant four-time major winner into the next round.

Alcaraz, seeded second at the tournament, will face Medvedev in the semi-finals after the Russian dispatched Flavio Cobolli in straight sets.

"It's always difficult facing Medvedev, I've played great matches against him earlier this year, during the last couple of years," Alcaraz added.

"I'm ready to take that challenge, to try to play my best tennis to pass him. It's always a war, long rallies, long matches when I play against him. But I'm ready to take that challenge."

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