BEIJING — Jannik Sinner produced a determined display to capture his third title of the year and ninth overall with a 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2) victory over second-seeded Daniil Medvedev in the final of the China Open on Wednesday.
Sinner came into the clash having lost to Medvedev in their previous six meetings, including two earlier this season in the finals of Rotterdam and Miami, but kept pace with his opponent before sealing the first set via tiebreak.
Both players struck brutal blows from the baseline and raced through their service games in the next set before the 22-year-old Sinner raised his level again in the tiebreak to take the title.
Sinner will become the second Italian player in the history of ATP rankings (since 1973) to break into the top five when the latest list is released. He will match Adriano Panatta’s ranking of No. 4, which was achieved in August 1976.
