JANNIK SINNER captured the 21st title of his career with a commanding victory over American teenager Learner Tien at the China Open on Wednesday.
The Italian star secured his second Beijing trophy following his tournament debut win in 2023 with a ruthless 6-2, 6-2 performance.
Sinner’s only previous loss on the centre Diamond Court came against great rival and top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz in last year’s gripping three-set final.
“This is a very, very special place for me,“ said the victorious Sinner after overcoming several three-set challenges and a bout of diarrhoea to reach the final.
Alcaraz successfully defended his Japan Open title in Tokyo instead of competing in Beijing this year.
Sinner now joins Rafael Nadal as only the third man to win multiple China Open titles, though both remain well behind Novak Djokovic’s record six victories.
“I always say comparing me to Novak, he’s in a different league with everything he has achieved in his career,“ said the four-time Grand Slam champion.
The 24-year-old described himself as “just a normal 24-year-old who tries to play the best tennis possible.”
Sinner revealed his growing trophy collection has outgrown his living space, telling reporters his awards always go “in my parents’ place.”
The world number two broke serve immediately in the first set against the 19-year-old Tien, who was competing in his first ATP final.
Despite Tien earning a rare break opportunity in the second set’s second game, Sinner quickly regained control to seal the one-sided match in just 1 hour and 12 minutes.
“I just think the pressure he puts on you point to point is really tough,“ admitted Tien, who had aimed to become Beijing’s lowest-ranked champion in tournament history.
Sinner’s emphatic victory marks his third title this season after earlier triumphs at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
The Italian may reclaim the world number one ranking before season’s end after Alcaraz withdrew from the Shanghai Masters due to injury.
Sinner will enter the Shanghai tournament as top seed and defending champion.
In the women’s draw, Emma Navarro delivered a major upset by defeating world number two Iga Swiatek 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 to reach the quarter-finals.
The Polish six-time Grand Slam champion committed 70 unforced errors during the nearly two-and-a-half-hour contest, her second-highest total ever in a 1000-level match.
“I just played bad today,“ Swiatek stated while dismissing any injury concerns.
The world number two acknowledged being “stuck in doing it wrong rather than actually solving it” during the match.
Navarro, ranked 17th globally, will next face either fellow American Jessica Pegula or Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk.
Swiatek saved four break points in the opening game but struggled throughout the first set, repeatedly hitting shots just beyond the baseline.
Though she fought back to claim the second set with six aces, Navarro dominated the deciding set as Swiatek’s game completely unraveled.
“I definitely had some adjusting to do after our last couple times playing,“ said the 24-year-old Navarro, who had lost both previous encounters with Swiatek.
The American expressed satisfaction with executing her plan to “play calm and steady and focused tennis.”
Britain’s Sonay Kartal secured another surprise victory by defeating world number five Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 2-6, 7-5 for her first top-10 win.
The 81st-ranked Kartal will face world number 27 Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic in her first-ever 1000-level quarter-final. – AFP