Conquering China

BEIJING, China (AFP) — Jannik Sinner won the 21st title of his career by thrashing American teenager Learner Tien 6-2, 6-2 in the China Open final on Wednesday.

The Italian lifted the trophy for the second time on Beijing’s hard courts, having done so on his tournament debut in 2023, and is eyeing a return to world No. 1.

The 24-year-old’s only loss on Beijing’s center Diamond Court has been to great rival and top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, who won last year’s final in three gripping sets.

“A very, very special place for me,” said the victorious Sinner, a four-time Grand Slam champion and top seed this week.

Alcaraz was not defending his title in the Chinese capital and on Tuesday won the Japan Open in Tokyo.

Sinner broke immediately in the first set on the way to outclassing the 19-year-old Tien, who was in his first ATP final.

“Congrats to Jannik on a great week, another title, an honor to share the court with you today,” he told the world No. 2 afterwards.

The world no. 52 got a rare chance to break in the second game of the second set but Sinner quickly retook control, ending a one-sided match with 10 aces over the one-hour and 12-minute contest.

Tien would have been Beijing’s lowest-ranked champion in tournament history.

At 19 years and nine months old, Tien would also have been the second-youngest American Tour champion since Andy Roddick in 2002.

As it was, he was never really in it, despite some flashes of his rich potential.

“You are showing throughout the whole season what a talent you are,” Sinner said in the aftermath.

Sinner’s emphatic win was his third title this season, after victories at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

Sinner may now have a chance to snatch back the top ranking before the season ends after Alcaraz pulled out of the Shanghai Masters injured on Tuesday.

The Spaniard took the world No. 1 ranking from Sinner when he defeated the Italian in the US Open final.

Sinner will be the top seed in Shanghai, which began this week.