Carlos Alcaraz beat Karen Khachanov 7-5 6-2 in 96 minutes to set up a semifinal clash against Danil Medvedev at the China Open in Beijing.
Alcaraz has reached his back-to-back semifinal in Beijing. The Spanish player lost to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in the semifinal of the Chinese ATP 500 tournament.
Alcaraz converted four of the twelve break points he faced. The four-time Grand Slam champion converted his third break point in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead, but Khachanov broke straight back to draw level to 3-3. Alcaraz converted his seventh break point to take a 4-3 lead.
Alcaraz dropped just two points on serve and earned two back-to-back breaks in the fifth and seventh games and closed out the win on his first match point.
The 21-year-old Spanish player rose one spot moving ahead of Alexander Zverev as world number 2 in the ATP Live Race to Turin. Alcaraz is 2800 points behind Sinner in the battle for ATP Year-End number 1.
“That’s what I am feeling right now. In the past matches everything went well, and I am not letting my opponents show their best tennis. That’s what I like and what I want in every match”, said Alcaraz.
Medvedev saved 10 of the 11 break points he faced to beat Flavio Cobolli 6-2 6-4.
Medvedev broke for the first time in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Cobolli earned a total of seven break points in the fourth and sixth games, but he did not convert them. Medvedev broke serve in the seventh game to win the first set 6-2.
Medvedev started the second set with an early break in the first game. Cobolli converted his third break-back point in the second game to draw level to 1-1. Medvedev broke in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Cobolli saved two break points at 2-4 and two match points at 3-5 forcing Medvedev to serve for the match. Cobolli earned a break point in the final game, but Medvedev saved it. The Russian player sealed the win on his third match point.
Medvedev has scored 186 ATP wins at hard-court tournaments since the start of the 2020 season. He is 22 wins clear of second-placed Jannik Sinner.
Alcaraz leads 5-2 in his head-to-head matches against Medvedev and won both their matches so far this year at Indian Wells and Wimbledon.
“It’s always difficult facing Medvedev. I played great matches against him earlier this year and during the past couple of years. I am ready to take that challenge, to try to play my best tennis, to pass him. It’s always a war. Long matches, long rallies, when I play against him, but I am ready for the challenge”, said Alcaraz.
