(Beijing) World number two Carlos Alcaraz easily earned his spot in the semi-finals of the China Open on Monday after defeating seventh seed Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-2 .
The Spaniard, the tournament favorite, erased a one-break deficit in the first set before upsetting Ruud with 30 winners and four service breaks.
“It’s always better to be able to beat a player of Casper’s caliber in two sets,” Alcaraz said. That means you’re playing well. It’s very difficult ; the rallies are long at the start of the match, but I am very satisfied with my level of play.
“I was able to find solutions after my bad start to the match. It’s these matches that allow you to build your confidence,” added the Spaniard.
Alcaraz will face sixth seed Jannik Sinner in Tuesday’s semifinals after the Italian defeated Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.
For his part, world third player Daniil Medvedev overcame a slump in the second set en route to a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 victory against Frenchman Ugo Humbert in the quarterfinals.
The Russian had trouble finding his usual fluidity during the first two sets, but he rallied in the third to overcome Humbert, 36th in the world, and reach the semi-finals of a tournament of the ATP for the 10th time this season.
“I am satisfied to have been able to raise my level of play a notch at the appropriate moments, except during a play in the second set,” agreed Medvedev. I’m happy to have been able to show some consistency in such a tough match, because that’s what allowed me to win. This is what you have to do (to win). »
Medvedev will face eighth seed Alexander Zverev in the final four, who defeated Nicolas Jarry 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-3.
Among the women, in her first participation in the China Open, the second world player Iga Swiatek took the measure of Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-4, 6-3 in the first round.
The Pole hit 27 winners and made 25 unforced errors, stealing her opponent’s service on seven occasions during the clash.
Swiatek will now have a meeting with Varvara Gracheva.
For her part, fifth seed Elena Rybakina manhandled Chinese Zheng Qinwen 6-1, 6-2.
Seventh seed Ons Jabeur, who won the Ningbo Open last week, beat Ashlyn Krueger 6-3, 6-4, while ninth seed Caroline Garcia ousted Kateryna Baindl 6-2, 6 -4.
China’s Wang Xinyu upset Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 6-3, and 11th seed Daria Kasatkina disposed of Mayar Sherif 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8).
Third seed Coco Gauff defeated world No. 20 Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-5, 6-3. The reigning US Open champion will face Croatian Petra Martic in the next round.
13th seed Jelena Ostapenko received a bye into the round of 16 after Linda Noskova withdrew due to discomfort. Ostapenko will then cross swords with the winner of the duel between fourth seed Jessica Pegula or Anna Blinkova.
Additionally, Anhelina Kalinina defeated Daria Saville 6-2, 7-6 (5) in the second round, while Jasmine Paolini eliminated Yuan Yue 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. Magda Linette led 3-1 against Jennifer Brady when the American threw in the towel, and Liudmila Samsonova upset 12th seed Petra Kvitova 6-4, 7-5.
In Astana, fifth seed Sebastian Korda defeated Hamad Medjedovic 6-7 (8), 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3) to clinch his place in the final. He will then covet his second career title on the ATP circuit.
The 23-year-old American will face sixth seed Adrian Mannarino in the final on Tuesday, after the Frenchman eliminated Sebastian Ofner 6-4, 6-2.