Jannik Sinner v Learner Tien live: China Open final result as Italian responds to Carlos Alcaraz shock
Sinner responded to Carlos Alcaraz’s victory in the Japan Open final, which was followed by his withdrawal from the Shanghai Masters
Jannik Sinner reclaimed the China Open to lift his third title of the season, and first outside of the grand slams, as the Italian defeated 19-year-old Learner Tien 6-2 6-2 in Beijing.
Sinner lost the China Open final to Carlos Alcaraz last season but now joins Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as the only men to win the tournament multiple times.
The World No 2 battled to a hard-fought semi-final win over Alex de Minaur on Tuesday, during which he struggled with physical problems caused by a stomach bug, but there were no signs of discomfort as he produced a dominant display.
Tien, playing in his first final and bidding to become the youngest American ATP Tour champion since Andy Roddick in 2002, twice earned break points in the second set but Sinner fended them off as he won the final four games of the match.
Sinner now has the chance to gain some ground on his young rival Alcaraz in the race for the year-end No 1 after the Spaniard withdrew from the Shanghai Masters just hours after winning the Japan Open title.
Alcaraz defeated Taylor Fritz in straight-sets to continue his dominant run of form but has pulled out of the Masters 1000 event as a result of the left ankle injury sustained in his opening match in Tokyo.
Elsewhere at the China Open, Great Britain’s Sonay Kartal claimed the best win of her career by knocking out World No 5 Mirra Andreeva to reach the quarter-finals, while top seed Iga Swiatek crashed out against Emma Navarro, losing the final set 0-6.
Follow live score updates from the China Open final below:
Iga Swiatek crashes out of China Open after 0-6 final set to Emma Navarro
ga Swiatek was on the receiving end of a bagel set as the Wimbledon champion crashed out of the China Open in a fourth-round defeat to Emma Navarro in Beijing.
Swiatek, who had been on an eight-match winning streak after lifting the Korea Open title last week, lost the final six games of the match after forcing a deciding set as the 16th seed Navarro won 6-4 4-6 6-0 in two-and-a-half hours.
Swiatek had been the top seed in Beijing following Aryna Sabalenka’s withdrawal from the WTA 1000 event but missed the chance to cut the gap to the World No 1 in the rankings.
The World No 2 made 70 unforced errors to 35 winners across the match and was on the wrong end of a 0-6 set for the third time this season, including her French Open semi-final defeat to Sabalenka.
Iga Swiatek crashes out of China Open after 0-6 final set
Daniil Medvedev escapes fine for umpire outburst as best effort warning ‘made in error’
Daniil Medvedev will not be fined after accusing umpires of “trying to intimidate him” as the ATP ruled his warning for not giving his “best effort” during his China Open defeat to Learner Tien was issued in error.
Daniil Medvedev escapes fine for outburst as best effort warning ‘made in error’
Sonay Kartal stuns Mirra Andreeva to claim career-best win and reach China Open quarter-finals
Sonay Kartal claimed the biggest win of her career by ranking after taking down World No 5 Mirra Andreeva in three sets to reach the quarter-finals of the China Open in Beijing.
Kartal defeated the 18-year-old Andreeva 7-5 2-6 7-5 to secure her first win over a top-10 opponent, a result that will see her move above Katie Boulter in the rankings and become the British No 2 behind Emma Raducanu.
The 23-year-old Kartal is through to her first WTA 1000 quarter-final following runs to the last-16 of Wimbledon and Indian Wells this season and will play the 26th seed Linda Noskova for a place in the semi-finals.
Sonay Kartal stuns World No 5 at China Open to claim biggest win of career
Jannik Sinner beats Learner Tien in Beijing to claim first title since Wimbledon
Jannik Sinner swatted aside Learner Tien to win his first title since Wimbledon at the China Open
The Italian regained the trophy he lost to Carlos Alcaraz last year with a 6-2 6-2 victory over 19-year-old American Tien, who was playing in his first ATP Tour final.
It is Sinner’s first title on the regular tour this season, with the 24-year-old adding to his Australian Open and Wimbledon crowns a day after Alcaraz lifted his eighth trophy of the season at the Japan Open.
Jannik Sinner beats Learner Tien in Beijing to claim first title since Wimbledon
How the race for year-end No 1 is shaping up
After lifting the China Open title, Jannik Sinner departs Beijing trailing Carlos Alcaraz by 2,590 points in the race for the year-end No 1.
But with Alcaraz not playing at the Shanghai Masters, Sinner has the chance to cut a huge 1,000 points from the Spaniard’s lead - if he defends his title.
Sinner is then signed up to play in the ATP 500 event in Vienna, where he will be top seed, before the Paris Masters at the end of October into the start of November.
The race is on.
Jannik Sinner aiming to 'improve and push' over final weeks of the season
Jannik Sinner is now a two-time champion in Beijing after reclaiming the title he first won in 2023 by beating Daniil Medvedev. He says it is a “special” place for him.
Sinner adds: “I would like to start with Learner. You are showing throughout the season what a talent you are. Keep going. Hopefully we can have other moments like this in the future.”
Sinner thanks his team and says: “We will try to improve and push as much as we can. I’m happy to share this trophy with you.”
Sinner finishes his speech by adding that he would like to return to Beijing in 2026 - and then he gets his hands on a huge golden trophy.
Learner Tien still 'happy' with China Open despite defeat in final
It’s been an impressive week for Learner Tien, who is set for a career-high ranking of 36th in the world after notching wins over Daniil Medvedev and Lorenzo Musetti to reach his his ATP Tour final.
“It’s been a great week. I’ve loved it here and I’m trying to take everything in.
“I’m happy [despite the result]. Congrats to Jannik on a great week, another title. It was great to share the court with you.”
Jannik Sinner brushes Learner Tien aside on his first ATP Tour final
A 6-2 6-2 scoreline is tough on Learner Tien, who had some decent moments in the second second but ultimately lost four games in a row to lose the match.
His serve had to be perfect to handle the firepower of Sinner’s return but it gave up too many double faults. Sinner was also faultless when facing break points.
Jannik Sinner heads to Shanghai favourite for title
Jannik Sinner has now won 21 of his 30 ATP Tour finals, with the Italian getting back to winning ways after defeats to Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open final and his retirement in Cincinnati.
He also extends his record on hard-courts this season to 23-2, with those two defeats coming to Alcaraz. He heads to the Shanghai Masters as the clear favourite, with Alcaraz withdrawing from the tournament yesterday.
GAME, SET AND MATCH! Jannik Sinner 6-2 6-2 Learner Tien
Sinner’s serve continues to fire and he marches into a 40-0 lead to bring up three Championship points.
Tien saves the first as he digs in on the rally, and then blasts a forehand winner down the line after working himself into the point!
Sinner still has a third match point - though can’t find a first serve - but he produces devastating accuracy on the second!
He pushes Tien out wide and into the miss on the forehand - and there’s a big fist-pump and satisfied look on Sinner’s face as he wins 6-2 6-2.
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