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China Open: Jannik Sinner survives scare against Terence Atmane while Carlos Alcaraz eases past Zizou Bergs to reach quarter-finals in Japan
World No 2 Jannik Sinner survived a scare from France’s Terence Atmane to book his place in the China Open quarter-finals after coming through 6-4 5-7 6-0 on Saturday.
The Italian improved his record in Beijing to 11-1 as he marched into the last eight, where he will meet Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan.
Sinner made a good start, winning the first set fairly comfortably after breaking Atamane’s serve in the third game, but his opponent came back strongly as he broke in the final game of the second set to take it 7-5.
However, Atmane started to struggle with cramps at the back end of the encounter, allowing Sinner to race through the third set without dropping a game as he won in two hours and 21 minutes.
Fitness and consistency helped Sinner prevail as he won the match at the first time of asking after his opponent framed his backhand.
“The game style he [Atmane] plays is quite unique and he’s also a lefty – we don’t have so many lefties in the game,” Sinner said.
“Today he was struggling a bit in the third set with some cramps but it was a tricky second-round match.
“I was twice up a break in the second, couldn’t use it, but this is the sport, this happens. Maybe the concentration went a little bit down sometimes, a bit of nerves also felt today, it’s normal, but I’m very happy to be again in the next round.”
Third seed Alex De Minaur was given a real fight by another Frenchman, lucky loser Arthur Rinderknech, but battled to a 6-3 3-6 7-6 (2) victory.
Alcaraz through in straight sets
World No 1 Carlos Alcaraz was more comfortable in defeating Belgium’s Zizou Bergs 6-4 6-3 to join Sinner in booking his place in the Japan Open quarter-finals.
Alcaraz looked to be in real trouble after landing awkwardly on his left ankle during his opening match in Tokyo on Thursday and was unsure how he would pull up.
The six-time Grand Slam champion played with style and rigour as he reached the last eight of a tournament for the 13th time this year, and will next meet the United States’ Brandon Nakashima.
Bergs managed to break Alcaraz three times during a meeting that lasted one hour and 19 minutes but unable to take a set from the Spaniard, who repeatedly picked off his opponent’s serve in reply.
Alcaraz brought up match point with his famous drop shot that Bergs was not able to reach in time before sealing the win with a forehand that he could not return.
“It was tough,” said Alcaraz. “It was a really important day and a half that I had to recover as good as I can.
“I said before and I’m going to say it again, I have the best physio in the world who I trust 100 per cent and the work he has done for the ankle, I think, has been great.
“I could play, I would say, normally. I was worried about some movements on the court where I could feel the ankle but in general I think I played a great match.”
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Express Sport brings you the latest tennis news from the Paris Masters.
We’re reaching the business end of the Paris Masters, as eight players become four in the French capital. Jannik Sinner is the overwhelming favourite to lift the trophy after Carlos Alcaraz was dumped out by Cameron Norrie in the Spaniard’s opening match. Norrie was then beaten by Valentin Vacherot, whose amazing 10-match winning streak at Masters 1000 level came to an end when he lost to Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Canadian star Auger-Aliassime will face Alexander Bublik in the semis. Bublik defeated Alex de Minaur, who is among those to have already qualified for the year-end ATP Finals. Sinner is through to his first Paris Masters semi-final after beating Ben Shelton. He’ll face defending champion Alexander Zverev, who survived a tough match against Daniil Medvedev.
Novak Djokovic is not involved in the Paris Masters, having decided to skip the event for the second year in a row, but he has learned his fate in the draw of next week’s ATP 250 in Athens. And over in Riyadh, the WTA Finals are about to get underway.
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