(Beijing) World second player Carlos Alcaraz easily earned his spot in the semi-finals of the China Open on Monday after defeating seventh seed Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-2 .
The Spaniard, the tournament favorite, erased a one-break deficit in the first set before upsetting Ruud with 30 winners and four service breaks.
“It’s always better to be able to beat a player like Casper in two sets,” Alcaraz said. That means you’re playing well. It’s very difficult ; the rallies are long at the start of the match, but I am very satisfied with my level of play.
“I was able to find solutions after my bad start to the match. It’s these matches that allow you to build your confidence,” added the Spaniard.
Alcaraz will face sixth seed Jannik Sinner in Tuesday’s semifinals after the Italian defeated Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.
For his part, world third player Daniil Medvedev overcame a slump in the second set en route to a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 victory against Frenchman Ugo Humbert in the quarterfinals.
PHOTO JADE GAO, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Carlos Alcaraz
The Russian had trouble finding his usual fluidity during the first two rounds, but he recovered in the third to overcome Humbert, 36e world racket, and reach the semi-finals of an ATP tournament for the 10e times this season.
“I am satisfied to have been able to raise my level of play a notch at the appropriate moments, except during a play in the second set,” agreed Medvedev. I’m happy to have been able to show some consistency in such a tough match, because that’s what allowed me to win. This is what you have to do (to win). »
Medvedev will face eighth seed Alexander Zverev in the final four, who defeated Nicolas Jarry 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-3.
Among the women, in her first participation in the China Open, the second world player Iga Swiatek took the measure of Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-4, 6-3 in the first round.
PHOTO ANDY WONG, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Iga Swiatek
The Pole slammed 27 winners and committed 25 unforced errors, extracting her opponent’s service on seven occasions during the clash.
Swiatek will now have a meeting with Varvara Gracheva.
For her part, the fifth seed Elena Rybakina manhandled the Chinese Zheng Qinwen 6-1, 6-2.
Seventh seed Ons Jabeur, who won the Ningbo Open last week, beat Ashlyn Krueger 6-3, 6-4, while ninth seed Caroline Garcia ousted Kateryna Baindl 6-2, 6 -4.
Chinese Wang Xinyu surprised Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 6-3, and the 11the seeded Daria Kasatkina defeated Mayar Sherif 1-6, 6-4 and 7-6 (8).
PHOTO CHARLES KRUPA, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Elena Rybakina
Third seed Coco Gauff beat No. 20e world player Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-5, 6-3. The reigning US Open champion will face Croatian Petra Martic in the next round.
Jelena Ostapenko, 13e top seed, received a bye to the round of 16 after Linda Noskova withdrew due to discomfort. Ostapenko will then cross swords with the winner of the duel between fourth seed Jessica Pegula or Anna Blinkova.
Additionally, Anhelina Kalinina defeated Daria Saville 6-2, 7-6 (5) in the second round, while Jasmine Paolini eliminated Yuan Yue 2-6, 6-3 and 6-4. Magda Linette led 3-1 against Jennifer Brady when the American threw in the towel, and Liudmila Samsonova surprised the 12the top seed Petra Kvitova 6-4, 7-5.
In Astana, fifth seed Sebastian Korda defeated Hamad Medjedovic 6-7 (8), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3) to clinch his place in the final. He will then covet his second career title on the ATP circuit.
The 23-year-old American will face sixth seed Adrian Mannarino in the final on Tuesday, after the Frenchman eliminated Sebastian Ofner 6-4, 6-2.
