Carlos Alcaraz beats Daniil Medvedev to reach China Open final

BEIJING – Third-seeded Carlos Alcaraz's athleticism was on display again as he advanced to the China Open final with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Daniil Medvedev on Tuesday.

“I felt great on the court again, so I'm really happy about that,” Alcaraz said. “I don’t think I could ask for a better semi-final.”

The four-time Grand Slam winner – including this year's French Open and Wimbledon – extended his direct record against the Russian to 6:2. Alcaraz will play in the final against either leader Jannik Sinner or Chinese wildcard Bu Yunchaokete, who play later on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old Spaniard found his way through a demanding first set that featured five breaks of serve, but crucially it was Alcaraz's third break of serve in the 12th game that secured the set.

With the security of a set lead, Alcaraz stepped on the gas and Medvedev had no answer as the Spaniard completed the semi-final in 88 minutes.

Alcaraz has now won eight straight matches – in the Davis Cup, Laver Cup and Beijing – since his loss to Botic Van De Zandschulp in the second round of the US Open.