Carlos Alcaraz advances to China Open semifinals; Aryna Sabalenka extends winning streak

BEIJING (AP) — Third-seeded Carlos Alcaraz reached the semifinals of the China Open for the second straight year after an impressive 7-5, 6-2 win over Karen Khachanov on Monday.

The 21-year-old Spaniard was typically relentless from the baseline, crushing 27th-seeded Khachanov’s service games and converting four of 12 breaks to win in 96 minutes.

“I always try to apply a little pressure when they’re pitching, just to tell them in a certain way that I’m going to be there,” Alcaraz said. “If they want to win the service game or beat me, they have to accept the fight and play really good tennis. For me, that’s what I’m constantly trying to show them.”

It was Alcaraz’s 46th win of the season and the victory enabled the reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion to climb back up to second place in the ATP Live Rankings over the absent Alexander Zverev.

Alcaraz will face Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals after the fifth-seeded Russian beat Flavio Cobolli of Italy 6-2, 6-4.

Medvedev, still hoping for his first title of the year, made 16 fewer unforced errors than the Italian and converted four of his eight break point chances, completing a solid 88-minute win.

Earlier, Andrey Rublev defeated Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-4, 7-5 in a match that was broadcast from Sunday due to a rain delay.

No. 6-ranked Rublev had six aces and 21 winners, extending his career record to 5-0 against Davidovich Fokina.

The fifth-seeded Russian faced No. 96 local Bu Yunchaokete in the quarterfinals later on Monday.

Sabalenka extends winning streak

Aryna Sabalenka’s dominant hardcourt season showed no signs of slowing down as she recorded her 14th straight win with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Ashlyn Krueger.

The three-time Grand Slam champion began her winning streak in August with a title in Cincinnati and continued it with a run to the championship at the US Open earlier this month. She also won the Australian Open earlier this year.

Second-seeded Sabalenka converted five of her seven break point chances in a one-sided battle against Krueger and will next face Madison Keys hoping to match her best 15 consecutive wins from the 2020-21 season.

“Well, maybe I’m not playing my best tennis right now,” Sabalenka said. “But I think the way I control my emotions and hold myself back sometimes really helps me stay in most matches, keep fighting in those difficult situations and keep playing my best tennis.”

Keys won 6:3, 6:3 against Beatrice Haddad Maia of Brazil. Haddad Maia won the Korea Open last week but struggled to combat Keys’ baseline strength.

Former No. 1 Naomi Osaka continued her positive start under new coach Patrick Mouratoglou with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Katie Volynets and moved into the round of 16 against sixth-seeded Coco Gauff.

It will be the first meeting between the two Grand Slam champions in more than two years, the direct series is tied 2-2.

“This will be a really cool test for me,” Osaka said. “She played really well this year. I’m excited to play the game and I know people are excited to watch the game.”

Osaka, who returned from maternity leave earlier this season and is No. 73 in the current rankings, fired five aces and produced three breaks of serve.

The four-time major winner joined Mouratoglou shortly before the China Open after parting ways with Wim Fisette. Their run here so far is the first time since May that Osaka has picked up three wins in a row.

Fifth-placed Jasmine Paolini had an unforgettable day when she lost 6-4, 6-0 to 45th-placed Pole Magda Linette.

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