World no. 1 Jannik Sinner will play for his seventh ATP title of the season on Wednesday. The defending champion is through to his second Beijing Open final following a 6-3, 7-6 triumph over the home favorite Yunchaokete Bu in two hours and five minutes.
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Thus, Jannik notched his 24th consecutive ATP 500 victory and delivered his 59th victory of the season from 64 encounters. The Italian will face the 2nd seed Carlos Alcaraz in a blockbuster final, embracing their tenth duel and seeking the fifth victory.
Bu defeated three rivals en route to the semi-final, fighting well but falling in straight sets after experiencing three mini-breaks in the tie break of the second set. The world's best player fired 11 aces and outperformed his rival behind the second serve.
Sinner denied all three break points in the only challenging service game, and the home favorite did a marvelous job denying eight of nine break chances. Yunchaokete suffered one break in the opener and fought well in the second, ending his run in the semi-final and cracking the top-70.
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The Italian tamed his strokes nicely and landed 32 winners and 29 unforced errors, leaving the rival's 15-29 ratio behind. The Chinese challenged the world's leading player in the more extended exchanges, presenting his baseline skills.
However, Jannik took charge in the quickest exchanges up to four strokes, outplaying his rival in that segment and remaining on the title course. The defending champion cracked a forehand down the line winner in the first game of the encounter and held at love before making a push on the return in the next one.
Bu missed a routine backhand in the second game, offering his rival two break chances. The lower-ranked player denied them and held after an extended rally, avoiding an early setback. Yunchaokete cracked an ace in the fourth game, leveling the score at 2-2 and making a push on the return in the next one.
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World no. 1 faced three break points, denying them, two with winners, and holding after six deuces with an unreturned serve.
Jannik Sinner will seek his seventh title of the season in Beijing against Carlos Alcaraz.
Carried by this boost, Sinner stepped in on the return in the sixth game and delivered the only break of the match.
The Italian generated three break points after the Chinese's backhand mistake and secured a break when world no. 96 played a loose forehand on the second. Jannik completed the seventh game with winners and forced his rival to serve to stay in the set.
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Bu faced two set points and saved them after Sinner's mistakes, bringing the game home with a powerful serve and prolonging the set. The home favorite missed his opportunity at 30-15 on the return in game nine, spraying a forehand error and allowing the world's best player to wrap up the opener 6-3 in 54 minutes.
Yunchaokete made a fresh start in the second set and forced the rival's mistake for a hold in the first game. Jannik grabbed the second game with a forced error, locking the result at 1-1. Bu cracked an ace down the T line in the third game for another fine hold, and the defending champion secured the next one after a hold at 30.
World no. 1 attacked on the return in the fifth game and landed a drop shot winner for a break point. The Chinese saved it with a service winner and closed the game with an unreturned serve, remaining on the positive side.
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Sinner cracked a forehand winner in the sixth game, providing a comfortable hold and locking the result at 3-3. The home favorite faced more issues behind the initial shot in the seventh game, offering his rival two break opportunities.
Yunchaokete saved them and held, giving everything to extend his chances against such a strong rival. Jannik kept his focus and fired a forehand crosscourt winner in game eight, leveling the score at 4-4 and seeking more return chances.
Bu landed an unreturned serve in the ninth game, following the rival's pace and creating a chance on the return in the next one.
Sinner sprayed an error and found himself 30-15 behind, sending his rival two points from wrapping up the set.
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Still, the Italian held after a deuce, extending the battle and reaching a deuce on the return a few minutes later. World no. 1 placed a backhand long, allowing the home favorite to wrap up the game and open a 6-5 advantage. Jannik served to stay in the set for the second time in game 12 and produced a hold at love, introducing a tie break.
The defending champion drew the rival's mistake in the first point for a mini-break before losing it in the third point following a forehand error. The Italian grabbed two points on the return, cracking a backhand return winner for 4-1.
World no. 1 painted a backhand down the line winner in the sixth point and cracked an ace for 6-1 and five match points. The home player defended the first two with winners before Jannik sealed the deal with an ace at 6-3, booking a place in the title clash.
