‘Normal’ Sinner thrashes Tien in Beijing for 21st title

Jannik Sinner won the 21st title of his career by thrashing American teenager Learner Tien 6-2, 6-2 in the China Open final on Wednesday.

The Italian lifted the trophy for the second time on Beijing’s hard courts, having done so on his tournament debut in 2023, and a return to world number one is within view.

Sinner’s only ever loss on the centre Diamond Court has been to great rival and top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, who won last year’s final in three gripping sets.

“A very, very special place for me,” said the victorious Sinner, who got past a couple three-set scares and a bout of diarrhoea to reach the final.

Alcaraz was not defending his title in the Chinese capital and on Tuesday won the Japan Open in Tokyo.

Sinner is the third man to win multiple China Open titles, matching Rafael Nadal’s record at two but so far well short of Novak Djokovic’s six.

“I always say comparing me to Novak, he’s in a different league with everything he has achieved in his career,” Sinner, a four-time Grand Slam champion, said.

“I’m just a normal 24-year-old who tries to play the best tennis possible.”

But he added that his silverware collection has outgrown his home, telling reporters his trophies go “in my parents’ place always”.

“My apartment is quite small, so there’s not a lot of space.”

Fast start

Sinner broke immediately in the first set on the way to outclassing the 19-year-old Tien, who was in his first ATP final.

The world no. 52 got a rare chance to break in the second game of the second set but Sinner quickly retook control, ending a one-sided match with 10 aces over the 1h 12min final.

“I thought he served well today. Just getting a lot of free points on his serve. I couldn’t really get a great read,” Tien said.

“I just think the pressure he puts on you point to point is really tough.”

Tien was bidding to become Beijing’s lowest-ranked champion in tournament history.

At 19 years and nine months, Tien would also have been the second-youngest American ATP Tour champion since Andy Roddick in 2002.

As it was, he was never really in it, despite some flashes of his rich potential.

“You are showing throughout the whole season what a talent you are,” Sinner said in the aftermath.

Sinner’s emphatic win was his third title this season, after victories at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

He may now be able to snatch back the top ranking before the season ends after Alcaraz pulled out of the Shanghai Masters injured on Tuesday.

The Spaniard took the world number one ranking from Sinner when he defeated the Italian in the US Open final.

Sinner will be the top seed in Shanghai, which began this week and where he is defending champion.