Spain's Carlos Alcaraz celebrates winning against Estonia's Mark Lajal during their men's singles tennis match on the first day of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 1, 2024. Glyn Kirk, AFP/File

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz celebrates winning against Estonia's Mark Lajal during their men's singles tennis match on the first day of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 1, 2024. - Alcaraz won the match 7-6, 7-5, 6-2. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE

2024 Wimbledon

Agence France-Presse

<img src="https://news-image-api.abs-cbn.com/Prod/editorImage/1727883865984AFP__20240701__36282UK__v2__Preview__TennisGbrWimbledon.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Spain's Carlos Alcaraz celebrates winning against Estonia's Mark Lajal during their men's singles tennis match on the first day of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 1, 2024. Glyn Kirk, AFP/File">Spain&#39;s Carlos Alcaraz celebrates winning against Estonia&#39;s Mark Lajal during their men&#39;s singles tennis match on the first day of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 1, 2024. Glyn Kirk, AFP/FileBEIJING, China -- Carlos Alcaraz roared back from a set down to beat world number one Jannik Sinner in a thriller and win his first China Open title on Wednesday.The four-time Grand Slam champion edged a captivating final 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) for his fourth ATP crown of the year and 16th overall.The Spaniard, who will return to number two in the world behind Sinner, was 3-0 down in the final-set tie break only to fight back and win in three hours, 21 minutes.The longest men&#39;s singles match in China Open history ended Sinner&#39;s run of 14 victories in a row and saw him deposed as the Beijing champion after an almighty fight.Alcaraz called it &quot;a special win&quot; that was even more satisfying in light of his shock second-round exit at the recent US Open.He hopes it will win the sport more fans.<a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/10/1/alcaraz-sweeps-into-beijing-final-as-home-hero-extends-fairytale-2014">READ: Alcaraz sweeps into Beijing final as home hero extends fairytale</a>&quot;When Jannik and I play it&#39;s a good thing for tennis because we always show a really intense match, really close match, great points, great rallies,&quot; he said.&quot;I think for the people who don&#39;t watch tennis, probably thanks to these kinds of matches, they will start to watch tennis or even practice it.&quot;US Open champion Sinner reached the final in Beijing under fresh scrutiny.The Italian has admitted to sleepless nights over his doping case, which was reignited at the weekend when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said it had appealed against a decision to clear him.He called it one of the toughest matches he had ever played.&quot;These kind of matches can really go both ways, but it was not my day,&quot; said Sinner.&quot;He played better in the important moments, that&#39;s it.&quot;- &#39;Great battle&#39; -In front of a packed house, the early exchanges were nervy with both players under immediate pressure on their service games.Sinner, 23, was the first to blink, with second-seeded Alcaraz breaking for a 3-1 lead and celebrating with a fist pump.The Spaniard held easily for 4-1 and had his opponent rattled.Alcaraz, 21, served for the set but Sinner grabbed the break back when he needed it most.Sinner then saved set point on his own serve to force the tie break, and saved another in the tie break before taking the set at his first opportunity when Alcaraz fired long.It was the first set Alcaraz had dropped all week.The second set was just as tight.Both players saw chances come and go but they went with serve until Alcaraz broke for 5-4, before holding with ease to send the final into a third set.The decider again went to a tie break, where Alcaraz finally prevailed on his first match point.&quot;It was a great battle again,&quot; said Sinner, who twice tested positive for a steroid in March but was cleared of wrongdoing and allowed to keep playing.In August, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted Sinner&#39;s explanation that the drug entered his system unintentionally when his physiotherapist used a spray containing it to treat a cut, then provided massage and sports therapy to the player.WADA said on Saturday it had appealed and was seeking a ban of up to two years.- Ruthless Sabalenka -In the women&#39;s draw, top seed Aryna Sabalenka won her 15th match in a row to power into the quarter-finals with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Madison Keys.The US Open champion will face Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic.World number two Sabalenka is on a collision course in the semi-finals with China&#39;s Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, who faces 43rd-ranked Amanda Anisimova in the last 16 later Wednesday.&copy; Agence France-Presse

The longest men&#39;s singles match in China Open history ended Sinner&#39;s run of 14 victories in a row and saw him deposed as the Beijing champion after an almighty fight.Alcaraz called it &quot;a special win&quot; that was even more satisfying in light of his shock second-round exit at the recent US Open.He hopes it will win the sport more fans.<a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/10/1/alcaraz-sweeps-into-beijing-final-as-home-hero-extends-fairytale-2014">READ: Alcaraz sweeps into Beijing final as home hero extends fairytale</a>&quot;When Jannik and I play it&#39;s a good thing for tennis because we always show a really intense match, really close match, great points, great rallies,&quot; he said.&quot;I think for the people who don&#39;t watch tennis, probably thanks to these kinds of matches, they will start to watch tennis or even practice it.&quot;US Open champion Sinner reached the final in Beijing under fresh scrutiny.The Italian has admitted to sleepless nights over his doping case, which was reignited at the weekend when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said it had appealed against a decision to clear him.He called it one of the toughest matches he had ever played.&quot;These kind of matches can really go both ways, but it was not my day,&quot; said Sinner.&quot;He played better in the important moments, that&#39;s it.&quot;- &#39;Great battle&#39; -In front of a packed house, the early exchanges were nervy with both players under immediate pressure on their service games.Sinner, 23, was the first to blink, with second-seeded Alcaraz breaking for a 3-1 lead and celebrating with a fist pump.The Spaniard held easily for 4-1 and had his opponent rattled.Alcaraz, 21, served for the set but Sinner grabbed the break back when he needed it most.Sinner then saved set point on his own serve to force the tie break, and saved another in the tie break before taking the set at his first opportunity when Alcaraz fired long.It was the first set Alcaraz had dropped all week.The second set was just as tight.Both players saw chances come and go but they went with serve until Alcaraz broke for 5-4, before holding with ease to send the final into a third set.The decider again went to a tie break, where Alcaraz finally prevailed on his first match point.&quot;It was a great battle again,&quot; said Sinner, who twice tested positive for a steroid in March but was cleared of wrongdoing and allowed to keep playing.In August, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted Sinner&#39;s explanation that the drug entered his system unintentionally when his physiotherapist used a spray containing it to treat a cut, then provided massage and sports therapy to the player.WADA said on Saturday it had appealed and was seeking a ban of up to two years.- Ruthless Sabalenka -In the women&#39;s draw, top seed Aryna Sabalenka won her 15th match in a row to power into the quarter-finals with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Madison Keys.The US Open champion will face Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic.World number two Sabalenka is on a collision course in the semi-finals with China&#39;s Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, who faces 43rd-ranked Amanda Anisimova in the last 16 later Wednesday.&copy; Agence France-Presse

The four-time Grand Slam champion edged a captivating final 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) for his fourth ATP crown of the year and 16th overall.The Spaniard, who will return to number two in the world behind Sinner, was 3-0 down in the final-set tie break only to fight back and win in three hours, 21 minutes.

<img src="https://news-image-api.abs-cbn.com/Prod/editorImage/1727883865984AFP__20240701__36282UK__v2__Preview__TennisGbrWimbledon.jpg" style="width: 960px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Spain's Carlos Alcaraz celebrates winning against Estonia's Mark Lajal during their men's singles tennis match on the first day of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 1, 2024. Glyn Kirk, AFP/File">Spain&#39;s Carlos Alcaraz celebrates winning against Estonia&#39;s Mark Lajal during their men&#39;s singles tennis match on the first day of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 1, 2024. Glyn Kirk, AFP/FileBEIJING, China -- Carlos Alcaraz roared back from a set down to beat world number one Jannik Sinner in a thriller and win his first China Open title on Wednesday.

Carlos Alcaraz roared back from a set down to beat world number one Jannik Sinner in a thriller and win his first China Open title on Wednesday.

Carlos Alcaraz roared back from a set down to beat world number one Jannik Sinner in a thriller and win his first China Open title on Wednesday.

Tennis: Battling Alcaraz outlasts Sinner in thriller to win China Open | ABS-CBN News

Sports

Sports

Tennis: Battling Alcaraz outlasts Sinner in thriller to win China Open

Tennis: Battling Alcaraz outlasts Sinner in thriller to win China Open