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Australia

De Minaur reaches China Open final after Hurkacz retires injured

The Australian will face either Novak Djokovic or Daniil Medvedev in Tuesday's decider in Beijing

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Sources7 outlets
Alex de Minaur has booked a spot in the China Open final after his semi-final opponent, Poland's Hubert Hurkacz, retired injured while trailing in the second set in Beijing. The world No. 9 will now pursue a 12th career title.

De Minaur was leading 6-4, 3-2 with a break of serve when Hurkacz pulled out while down 40-0 in the sixth game of the second set, after showing mobility problems.

The result continued a strong turnaround for the 27-year-old Australian, whose tournament looked in doubt 24 hours earlier. In his quarter-final on Sunday against Russia's Andrey Rublev, de Minaur won only one game in the first set before fighting back to win 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Monday's semi-final began with de Minaur breaking Hurkacz in his opening two service games to lead 4-0, and again for 5-1. Hurkacz steadied, breaking back from deuce in the eighth game and holding to make it 5-4, but de Minaur held serve to take the first set.

Another break in the third game of the second set helped de Minaur build a 3-1 lead. Hurkacz fought to hold serve in the following game, surviving four break points in a marathon deuce game, to make it 3-2. But the Pole then conceded the match due to injury, giving de Minaur victory.

De Minaur will face the winner of the other semi-final between sixth seed Novak Djokovic and third-seeded Daniil Medvedev in Tuesday's final.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • De Minaur has a chance to win his 12th ATP title and build momentum ahead of the Australian summer of tennis.
  • The result continues a strong Asian swing for the Australian number one, who has shown resilience after his quarter-final scare.
  • A title in Beijing would boost his ranking and confidence heading into the remainder of the season.

Background

Alex de Minaur has been Australia's leading male tennis player in recent years, consistently ranked inside the world's top 10. The China Open is an ATP 500 event held annually in Beijing, attracting many of the tour's top players. De Minaur came into the tournament having won multiple ATP titles, though he had trailed Hurkacz 3-1 in career meetings before this semi-final.

Key Perspectives

De Minaur and his team: The Australian will aim to carry strong form into the final after recovering from a slow start against Rublev and handling Hurkacz's serve. Hurkacz and his camp: The Polish player's retirement suggests a physical issue that may affect his preparation for upcoming tournaments. Opponents and observers: Whoever wins the Djokovic-Medvedev semi-final will present a significant challenge, given the pedigree of both players.

What to Watch

  • Tuesday's final in Beijing, where de Minaur will face either Novak Djokovic or Daniil Medvedev.
  • The nature of Hurkacz's injury and whether it will affect his participation in the next tournament.
  • De Minaur's performance against a top-tier opponent, which will test his hopes of climbing higher in the rankings.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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