Carlos Alcaraz will face Daniil Medvedev in a blockbuster China Open semi-final matchup after downing Karen Khachanov in the last eight.
The four-time grand slam champion needed just 96 minutes on court to beat Khachanov 7-5 6-2, easing through the second set after fending off some early pressure.
Alcaraz, who registered his 200th career victory last time out against Tallon Griekspoor, went a break up five games into the opener but was immediately pegged back, only to convert his seventh break point to seize the initiative once more.
Back-to-back breaks midway through the second set then did the trick for Alcaraz, who dropped just two points on his own serve after clinching the opener.
The 21-year-old, whose victory saw him leapfrog Alexander Zverev to go second in the ATP rankings, said: "I always try to be aggressive, hitting strong shots, and I feel like I'm not afraid to show that.
"That's what I'm feeling right now. In the past matches, everything went well, and I'm not letting my opponents show their best tennis. That's what I like and what I want in every match."
He will face Medvedev for a place in the final after the Russian registered his own straight-sets win over Flavio Cobolli on Monday.
Medvedev was forced to save 10 of 11 break points during his 6-2 6-4 win, which was far more competitive than the scoreline suggested.
Data Debrief: Medvedev's hard-court mastery
Since the start of the 2020 season, Medvedev has now registered 186 ATP victories at hard-court events.
That is the most of any player on the surface and puts him some 22 wins clear of second-placed Jannik Sinner, who is a potential final opponent if he can overcome Alcaraz in the last four.
Sinner tops ATP Tour for 2024 wins after defeating Lehecka
Jannik Sinner reached the last four of the China Open after defeating Jiri Lehecka 6-2 7-6 (8-6) on Monday.
The world number one will face Bu Yunchaokete in the semi-finals in Beijing, with a final against Carlos Alcaraz an intriguing prospect.
In the process, Sinner brought up his 58th win of the season, seeing him surpass Alexander Zverev as the player with the most TATP our-level wins in 2024.
"We always try to improve day by day and I feel like the result is coming in what level you’re playing throughout the season, how consistent you are as a player," said Sinner, who has now reeled off 14 successive victories.
"You also have to be ready mentally to do that. So we just try to stay in the present moment.
"We know what we have done this season, which is great for me. But every match we see we can improve, which is very good."
Data Debrief: The Italian job
Sinner has now become the first Italian in the Open Era to reach 10+ ATP event semi-finals in back-to-back seasons.
His next opponent, Bu, meanwhile, stunned Andrey Rublev 7-5 6-4.
Bu is the first Chinese player to claim multiple ATP top 20 wins at a single event on hard court, and the first player representing the host nation to reach the last four at the China Open.
Gauff reaches China Open fourth round with record-breaking win
Coco Gauff claimed her 47th hard-court win in WTA-1000 matches with a straight-sets victory over Katie Boulter in the third round at the China Open.
The American now has the most wins on the surface before turning 21 and needed just 85 minutes to see off her opponent, prevailing 7-5 6-2 on Sunday.
Gauff looked set to sail through the first set after breaking Boulter’s serve in the sixth game and taking a 5-2 lead, but the Brit fought back to level the score.
Gauff, who served four of her five aces in the opening set, rallied to win the final two games, with Boulter failing to stop her from converting set point on the third time of asking.
Back in her groove, the world number three cruised through the second, which included three love games, to book a meeting with either Naomi Osaka or fellow American Katie Volynets in the next round.
Data Debrief: Out on her own
Gauff's win over Clara Burel in the last round pulled her level with Caroline Wozniacki for the joint-most WTA-1000 match wins on hard court before the age of 21 since the format's introduction in 2009.
But she made light work of pushing herself top of that list as she stormed through, dropping her serve just once in the contest.
Gauff (100) has also become the second player to record 100+ break-point conversions at WTA-1000 events in 2024, along with Iga Swiatek (145), getting four out of a possible seven against Boulter.
Alcaraz already targeting next landmark after claiming 200th career win
Carlos Alcaraz is already eyeing up another major landmark, straight after registering his 200th ATP-Tour level win on Sunday.
The Spaniard beat Tallon Griekspoor at the China Open in straight sets, prevailing 6-1 6-2, to progress from the second-round tie.
Among the 29 players to have reached the top of the world rankings, Alcaraz is the second fastest to win 200 matches. He did so in his 252nd match, with only John McEnroe hitting the landmark sooner (245 matches).
Meanwhile, he is just the third player born in the 2000s to achieve that feat, after Jannik Sinner and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Alcaraz may have struggled to get back to his best since losing the Paris Olympics final to Novak Djokovic in August, but he looked at home on hard court once more in Beijing.
His win rate on the surface is 75.4%, and since the start of the 2020 season, he is one of only two players to hold two separate win rates of 75%+ on all three surfaces at ATP level, along with Djokovic.
Alcaraz, who won the French Open and Wimbledon this year, was proud to reach his latest achievement and said he is ready to start pushing to the next.
"I'm really happy about it - 200 wins is a great number," Alcaraz said after the match.
"But I am already looking for the third hundred. I just want to keep going, to keep rolling.
"I am looking forward to playing matches and to keep doing the things that I am doing."
Alcaraz will face seventh seed Karen Khachanov in the quarter-finals in Beijing.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
