Jannik Sinner can’t seem to rid himself of trouble. Heading into the summit clash of the China Open, high expectations and a thrilling encounter were naturally expected. However, the Italian superstar’s expectations for keeping the contest clean have hit a snag. Subsequently, Beijing’s top seed has left the community worried with his latest physical constraint while clashing against Carlos Alcaraz.

The world No. 1 faced an early deficit, going 0-40 down in his first service game before recovering. However, he soon trailed 4-1 after a break by Alcaraz. Sinner struggled to keep up during the one-sided first hour, but his persistence paid off when Alcaraz made a crucial mistake.

Sinner produced two powerful forehands to break back and force a tiebreak, which he ultimately won. What came in between was Sinner lagging after experiencing apparent discomfort in his right knee. Seemingly catching up to pace and sidelining the knee issue did little to no favors for Sinner.

The second set became more competitive, with the first break point converted at 4-4. Alcaraz capitalized on a lengthy service game, breaking Sinner and serving out the set 6-4. The third set featured more thrilling points, with Alcaraz quickly earning a break advantage. He seemed to have the momentum, having won five of the last six games. However, Sinner fought back, leveling the score at 4-4 with a crucial break. Alcaraz ultimately prevailed, winning the final set in a tiebreak.

Whereas, the Italian concluded his campaign with a runners-up trophy – with Alcaraz exacting sweet revenge on the top seed… after ending on the losing side of the duo’s last year’s contest in Beijing. However, Sinner has endured injury scares in the past.

Amid locking horns with Daniil Medvedev in the QF of Wimbledon, the Italian player requested a medical timeout (MTO) trailing 1-2 in the third set after struggling with his mobility and complaining about an injury. While Sinner returned to the court, he was unable to regain the lead against Medvedev. The latter won the third set, bringing him one set closer to his second Wimbledon semifinal.

For the uninitiated, Sinner is a having bitter-sweet run this year. Despite clinching two Majors, the 23-year-old is facing staunch criticism from fans after evading his doping saga, wherein he twice tested positive for the banned anabolic, Clostebol, during his Indian Wells Masters campaign. Regardless, the Italian sensation is bound to face the music.

In late August, an independent tribunal ruled in his favor, citing “no guilt or negligence” on the part of Sinner. However, on September 26th, the reigning US Open champion’s case was petitioned to be re-tried by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for the finding not being correct in the first place. Modest relief at best, the case won’t affect his upcoming title defense at the Australian Open.

Regardless, the 23-year-old is focused on his on-court adventures. Before squaring off against Alcaraz, he termed the formidability of the arch-rival.

Jannik Sinner acknowledges “tough match” before contesting against Carlos Alcaraz

Italian superstar Jannik Sinner is in the cahoots with Carlos Alcaraz. Mind me, it’s far less than friendly. The young talent has faced one of the most challenging battles at the hands of the Spanish sensation. After finessing his semifinal rival, Sinner reserved a few words to express his expectations ahead of the China Open final.

It is worth noting that the two-time Majors champion faces a 4-5 deficit(now 4-6) in his head-to-head against Alcaraz. He said, “It’s going to be a tough match. We know each other very well now, but every match is different, so the situation on the court is also a bit different than it was the last two matches. But let’s see. I’m happy to be here again in the final.”

As of now, their encounter is tied. After forcing a decider, Alcaraz is looking to thrash the Italian with his powerful shot-making skills. However, with both players focused on pocketing the trophy, only time will tell who holds their composure better.