The China Open’s quarter final line up is virtually set with just one match remaining to be completed, and that is the Andrey Rublev clash with Pablo Carrena Busta which was suspended by rain with the Russian leading the Spaniard 2-1.
I’m really happy about it – 200 wins is a great number. 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. Carlos Alcaraz
The winner of that encounter will face the Chinese wildcard who has surpassed all expectations to reach the last eight,
The 22-year-old Bu Yunchaokete, who reached the semi-finals last week in Hangzhou, made light work of sixth seeded Lorenzo Musetti, defeating the Italian 6-2 6-4.
Meanwhile Carlos Alcaraz stormed into the quarters by demolishing the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 6-1 6-2 to secure his 200th win on the ATP Tour. The young Spaniard, seeded two at the event, is only the third male player born this century to achieve that landmark, behind Jannik Sinner and Felix Auger Aliassime.
“I’m really happy about it – 200 wins is a great number,” Alcaraz said when it was pointed out. “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.”
And on this form one can see him storming through the next 100!
On this occasion he won all his first serve points as he dominated his opponent over 57-minutes with Griekspoor incapable of countering Alcaraz’s variety of shot and play-making
Alcaraz will face seventh see Karen Khachanov in the quarter finals and hopes to improve on his semi-final appearance last year and eventually overtake his rival Sinner at the top of the table.
annik Sinner came through his second three-setter to reach the quarters
(Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
Sinner meanwhile, required another three-setter to make the last eight after Roman Safiullin put up strong performance, especially in the first set which took 47-minutes to complete.
However the Russian eventually gave way to the stronger top seeded Italian, who turned things round and forge into his allotted quarter final place, 3-6 6-2 6-3.
It was during his match with Safiullin that the news of WADA’s decision to appeal against his clearance from two positive drug tests in the Court of Administration for Sport, broke.
Sinner will now face Jiri Lehecka in the quarter finals on Monday after the Czech defeated Roberto Bautista Agut 3-6 6-2 6-1.
Daniil Medvedev celebrates his win
(Photo by Shi Tang/Getty Images)
Joining him in the next round is Daniil Medvedev also sealed his spot in the last eight after a 7-6(6) 6-2 victory over Adrian Mannarino.
Medvedev had to fight against a Mannarino comeback in the opening set as the Frenchman recovered from a 4-1 deficit to force a tiebreaker which the Russian claimed to take the set in 67-minutes.
The pair exchanged breaks in the second but Medvedev gained control in the fifth and then reinforced it in the seventh before closing it out after 100-minutes.
He will face Flavio Cobolli in the quarter finals after the Italian defeated the Russian qualifier Pavel Kotov in 6-4 6-2.
