Jannik Sinner reclaimed the China Open to lift his third title of the season, and first outside of the grand slams, as the Italian defeated 19-year-old Learner Tien 6-2 6-2 in Beijing.
Sinner lost the China Open final to Carlos Alcaraz last season but now joins Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as the only men to win the tournament multiple times.
The World No 2 battled to a hard-fought semi-final win over Alex de Minaur on Tuesday, during which he struggled with physical problems caused by a stomach bug, but there were no signs of discomfort as he produced a dominant display.
Tien, playing in his first final and bidding to become the youngest American ATP Tour champion since Andy Roddick in 2002, twice earned break points in the second set but Sinner fended them off as he won the final four games of the match.
Sinner now has the chance to gain some ground on his young rival Alcaraz in the race for the year-end No 1 after the Spaniard withdrew from the Shanghai Masters just hours after winning the Japan Open title.
Alcaraz defeated Taylor Fritz in straight-sets to continue his dominant run of form but has pulled out of the Masters 1000 event as a result of the left ankle injury sustained in his opening match in Tokyo.
Elsewhere at the China Open, Great Britain’s Sonay Kartal claimed the best win of her career by knocking out World No 5 Mirra Andreeva to reach the quarter-finals, while top seed Iga Swiatek crashed out against Emma Navarro, losing the final set 0-6.
Follow live score updates from the China Open final below:
Sinner v Tien live: China Open final latest score and updates
- Jannik Sinner defeats Learner Tien to reclaim China Open title in Beijing
- Sinner wins third title this season and first outside of the grand slams
- Tien reaches his ATP Tour final after Daniil Medvedev retired from semi-final
- Carlos Alcaraz withdraws from Shanghai after winning Japan Open title
Iga Swiatek crashes out of China Open after 0-6 final set to Emma Navarro
15:22 , Jamie Braidwoodga Swiatek was on the receiving end of a bagel set as the Wimbledon champion crashed out of the China Open in a fourth-round defeat to Emma Navarro in Beijing.
Swiatek, who had been on an eight-match winning streak after lifting the Korea Open title last week, lost the final six games of the match after forcing a deciding set as the 16th seed Navarro won 6-4 4-6 6-0 in two-and-a-half hours.
Swiatek had been the top seed in Beijing following Aryna Sabalenka’s withdrawal from the WTA 1000 event but missed the chance to cut the gap to the World No 1 in the rankings.
The World No 2 made 70 unforced errors to 35 winners across the match and was on the wrong end of a 0-6 set for the third time this season, including her French Open semi-final defeat to Sabalenka.
Daniil Medvedev escapes fine for umpire outburst as best effort warning ‘made in error’
12:44 , Jamie BraidwoodDaniil Medvedev will not be fined after accusing umpires of “trying to intimidate him” as the ATP ruled his warning for not giving his “best effort” during his China Open defeat to Learner Tien was issued in error.
Daniil Medvedev escapes fine for outburst as best effort warning ‘made in error’
Sonay Kartal stuns Mirra Andreeva to claim career-best win and reach China Open quarter-finals
12:14 , Jamie BraidwoodSonay Kartal claimed the biggest win of her career by ranking after taking down World No 5 Mirra Andreeva in three sets to reach the quarter-finals of the China Open in Beijing.
Kartal defeated the 18-year-old Andreeva 7-5 2-6 7-5 to secure her first win over a top-10 opponent, a result that will see her move above Katie Boulter in the rankings and become the British No 2 behind Emma Raducanu.
The 23-year-old Kartal is through to her first WTA 1000 quarter-final following runs to the last-16 of Wimbledon and Indian Wells this season and will play the 26th seed Linda Noskova for a place in the semi-finals.
Sonay Kartal stuns World No 5 at China Open to claim biggest win of career
Jannik Sinner beats Learner Tien in Beijing to claim first title since Wimbledon
09:47 , Jamie BraidwoodJannik Sinner swatted aside Learner Tien to win his first title since Wimbledon at the China Open
The Italian regained the trophy he lost to Carlos Alcaraz last year with a 6-2 6-2 victory over 19-year-old American Tien, who was playing in his first ATP Tour final.
It is Sinner’s first title on the regular tour this season, with the 24-year-old adding to his Australian Open and Wimbledon crowns a day after Alcaraz lifted his eighth trophy of the season at the Japan Open.
Jannik Sinner beats Learner Tien in Beijing to claim first title since Wimbledon
How the race for year-end No 1 is shaping up
09:25 , Jamie BraidwoodAfter lifting the China Open title, Jannik Sinner departs Beijing trailing Carlos Alcaraz by 2,590 points in the race for the year-end No 1.
But with Alcaraz not playing at the Shanghai Masters, Sinner has the chance to cut a huge 1,000 points from the Spaniard’s lead - if he defends his title.
Sinner is then signed up to play in the ATP 500 event in Vienna, where he will be top seed, before the Paris Masters at the end of October into the start of November.
The race is on.
Jannik Sinner aiming to 'improve and push' over final weeks of the season
08:49 , Jamie BraidwoodJannik Sinner is now a two-time champion in Beijing after reclaiming the title he first won in 2023 by beating Daniil Medvedev. He says it is a “special” place for him.
Sinner adds: “I would like to start with Learner. You are showing throughout the season what a talent you are. Keep going. Hopefully we can have other moments like this in the future.”
Sinner thanks his team and says: “We will try to improve and push as much as we can. I’m happy to share this trophy with you.”
Sinner finishes his speech by adding that he would like to return to Beijing in 2026 - and then he gets his hands on a huge golden trophy.
Learner Tien still 'happy' with China Open despite defeat in final
08:45 , Jamie BraidwoodIt’s been an impressive week for Learner Tien, who is set for a career-high ranking of 36th in the world after notching wins over Daniil Medvedev and Lorenzo Musetti to reach his his ATP Tour final.
“It’s been a great week. I’ve loved it here and I’m trying to take everything in.
“I’m happy [despite the result]. Congrats to Jannik on a great week, another title. It was great to share the court with you.”
Jannik Sinner brushes Learner Tien aside on his first ATP Tour final
08:37 , Jamie BraidwoodA 6-2 6-2 scoreline is tough on Learner Tien, who had some decent moments in the second second but ultimately lost four games in a row to lose the match.
His serve had to be perfect to handle the firepower of Sinner’s return but it gave up too many double faults. Sinner was also faultless when facing break points.
Jannik Sinner heads to Shanghai favourite for title
08:32 , Jamie BraidwoodJannik Sinner has now won 21 of his 30 ATP Tour finals, with the Italian getting back to winning ways after defeats to Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open final and his retirement in Cincinnati.
He also extends his record on hard-courts this season to 23-2, with those two defeats coming to Alcaraz. He heads to the Shanghai Masters as the clear favourite, with Alcaraz withdrawing from the tournament yesterday.
GAME, SET AND MATCH! Jannik Sinner 6-2 6-2 Learner Tien
08:25 , Jamie BraidwoodSinner’s serve continues to fire and he marches into a 40-0 lead to bring up three Championship points.
Tien saves the first as he digs in on the rally, and then blasts a forehand winner down the line after working himself into the point!
Sinner still has a third match point - though can’t find a first serve - but he produces devastating accuracy on the second!
He pushes Tien out wide and into the miss on the forehand - and there’s a big fist-pump and satisfied look on Sinner’s face as he wins 6-2 6-2.
BREAK! *Jannik Sinner 6-2 5-2 Learner Tien
08:20 , Jamie BraidwoodDouble-faults have been a huge problem for Tien all match, with the American having to go big on the second serve to avoid Sinner blasting him off the court.
He makes a crucial one on 30-15 up, giving Sinner a chance, and the Italian takes full advantage with a stunning backhand winner down the line to bring up break point.
Sinner dials in to win the exchange and moves a game away from the title.
Jannik Sinner 6-2 4-2 Learner Tien*
08:15 , Jamie BraidwoodIt’s deja vu for Tien. He works a break-point opportunity with a well constructed point and heavy forehand winner, but Sinner immediately shuts the door with three consecutive first-serves. Tien got the return in play on the break point, but Sinner dominated the rally from there.
BREAK! *Jannik Sinner 6-2 3-2 Learner Tien
08:08 , Jamie BraidwoodAh that’s disappointing from Tien, who after battling through the last test makes two double-faults, including on break point, to hand the advantage to Sinner.
The Italian made a couple of devastating returns and pumps his fist as he moves ahead in the second set.
Jannik Sinner 6-2 2-2 Learner Tien*
08:04 , Jamie BraidwoodSinner immediately throws it back to Tien with a love-hold. The American could have had the break but it feels like the pressure is back on his service games.
*Jannik Sinner 6-2 1-2 Learner Tien
08:01 , Jamie BraidwoodA brilliant hold from Tien after being 0-30 down! He finds some devastating power on the forehand crosscourt to blast through Sinner and then wins a series of gutsy points in a row to take the game.
Impressive fight from Tien.
Jannik Sinner 6-2 1-1 Learner Tien*
07:56 , Jamie BraidwoodA chance for Tien as he builds on a forehand winner from the baseline exchange to work his first break-point opportunity.
Sinner finds his first serve and sets up the forehand smash. Sinner finds two more massive serves - including an ace on game point - to quickly take the opportunity away from the 19-year-old.
*Jannik Sinner 6-2 0-1 Learner Tien
07:51 , Jamie BraidwoodTien makes a solid start to the second set with a hold to love. Can the American hang on?
FIRST SET! Jannik Sinner 6-2 Learner Tien*
07:48 , Jamie BraidwoodSinner moves a set away from the title as he fires an ace out wide. A dominant opener from Sinner, who is putting pressure on Tien in every rally. The Italian fired 11 winners to 10 unforced errors in the set and, although he is trying out some new things on his serve, it has delivered in the key moments.
Tien is struggling to read it.
*Jannik Sinner 5-2 Learner Tien
07:42 , Jamie BraidwoodThe left-handed Tien fires a lovely forehand winner down the line as he holds serve and forces Sinner to serve it out. The American hasn’t done too badly on his first appearance in a final: Sinner has just been very solid.
Jannik Sinner 5-1 Learner Tien*
07:39 , Jamie BraidwoodTien is stretching out his legs between points but gets to deuce on the Sinner serve. The Italian, though, fires a couple of aces and moves just a game away from the opening set.
BREAK! *Jannik Sinner 4-1 Learner Tien
07:30 , Jamie BraidwoodEmphatic from Sinner. A double-fault brings up two more break point opportunities for the Italian. He swarms Tien with pressure to the backhand side and leaps into the overhead to take the double-break.
Jannik Sinner 3-1 Learner Tien*
07:26 , Jamie BraidwoodSinner looks so comfortable on these hard courts against anyone other than Alcaraz. He blasts another forehand winner down the line and takes the game as Tien crunches a forehand halfway up the net.
*Jannik Sinner 2-1 Learner Tien
07:23 , Jamie BraidwoodTien gets on the board - a running forehand winner on the opening point will be a boost to his confidence. The American’s serve is vulnerable and there is a second double-fault, but he overcomes it to win a couple of exchanges from the baseline.
Jannik Sinner 2-0 Learner Tien
07:20 , Jamie BraidwoodSinner consolidates the opening break. He built into a comfortable position with an ace out wide and tried to mix it up on game point with a drop shot that Tien reached and put away.
Sinner wins the next point on the forehand exchange and has made an assured start, as you would expect.
BREAK! *Jannik Sinner 1-0 Learner Tien
07:15 , Jamie BraidwoodOof. An ominous start as Tien double faults on his opening point before Sinner crunches forehand winners to move to 0-40.
Tien digs in, and there are a couple of errors from Sinner, but the American is unable to keep up with the World No 2 in the baseline rally.
He shoots long and Sinner gets the opening break.
Jannik Sinner v Learner Tien
07:08 , Jamie BraidwoodAt just 19, Learner Tien is bidding to become the youngest American man to win an ATP Tour title since Andy Roddick in 2002.
But he faces a extremely difficult task in taking down Sinner, who has a 22-2 record on hard courts this season.
Both of those defeats came to Carlos Alcaraz.
Jannik Sinner v Learner Tien
07:04 , Jamie BraidwoodHere we go! Learner Tien steps out onto the court and a packed house in Beijing ahead of his first ATP Tour Final - he is followed onto court by Jannik Sinner, who is playing in his third consecutive China Open final and 30th overall.
Jannik Sinner continues streak of hard-court finals
06:55 , Jamie BraidwoodJannik Sinner is through to his ninth consecutive final at a hard-court event, a run that is well over a year long and goes back to last season’s Cincinnati Open.
Sinner, though, has lost his last two finals, the first by retirement against Carlos Alcaraz in Cincinnati and then his US Open final defeat to Alcaraz last month.
He will be playing his 30th ATP Tour final against Learner Tien, who is playing his first. Sinner has a 20-9 record in finals - with a 17-7 record on hard courts.
Carlos Alcaraz pulls out of Shanghai Masters just hours after winning Japan Open
06:54 , Jamie BraidwoodCarlos Alcaraz has pulled out of the Shanghai Masters just hours after winning his eighth title of the season at the Japan Open.
The World No 1 defeated Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-4 in Tokyo to continue his dominant form but revealed he has been “struggling with some physical issues”.
The 22-year-old overcame an injury scare in his opening match against Sebastian Baez in Tokyo - where he hurt his left ankle and ignored pleas from his team to retire.
Alcaraz’s decision to pull out of the Shanghai Masters gives Jannik Sinner an opportunity to close the gap to World No 1 if he can defend his Shanghai title and offers the Italian some hope of regaining the top spot this season.
Sinner lost last season’s China Open final to Alcaraz.
Carlos Alcaraz pulls out of Shanghai Masters just hours after winning Japan Open
Jannik Sinner continues dominance over Alex de Minaur in semi-finals
06:34 , Jamie BraidwoodJannik Sinner underlined his dominance on hardcourts in the Asian swing of tournaments by outlasting Australian third seed Alex de Minaur 6-3 4-6 6-2.
Sinner made a typically fast start in his bid to secure an 11th straight victory over De Minaur, breaking the world number eight to love for a 4-2 lead, but he had to battle hard in the next game to hold serve.
The 2023 China Open champion had no trouble wrapping up the first set from there but ran into trouble early in the next, appearing to struggle physically at times, before tight holds helped him level at 3-3 and 4-4.
"I have one night to recover. I'm going to be fine," Sinner said. "In the finals you have even more adrenaline and more will to play as best as you can. I'm looking forward to it, finals are very special.
"It's another final for me this season. It's a great result again.”
Daniil Medvedev retires from China Open after accusing umpires of ‘intimidating’ him
06:24 , Jamie BraidwoodA cramping Daniil Medvedev accused umpires of “trying to intimidate” him as he retired from his China Open semi-final against Learner Tien when the score was 5-7, 7-5, 4-0 in the final set.
After blowing a second-set lead, Medvedev could barely walk as he took to the decider in Beijing but refused to retire even as he struggled to return any ball that was out of his reach.
The Russian was given a warning for “lack of effort” as Tien aced Medvedev with a routine serve down the middle of the court, with the 29-year-old staring towards the umpire before calling the supervisor.
Daniil Medvedev retires from China Open after accusing umpires of ‘intimidating’ him
Learner Tien on facing Jannik Sinner
06:14 , Jamie BraidwoodLearner Tien advanced to his first ATP Tour final after former US Open champion Daniil Medvedev retired from their semi-final with what looked like cramp while trailing 7-5 5-7 0-4.
"I think (Medvedev) was cramping, I've been there and it's not fun. All the best to him," Tien said. "It's not how you want to come through a match but I'm happy to be in the final.
"Excited to play Sinner. I think any time you have a chance to play one of the top guys I think it's a great experience and I'm really looking forward to it."
Learner Tien's impressive 2025 season
06:09 , Jamie BraidwoodTien may be the huge underdog in the final but the American has a 7-5 record against top-20 players so far in his career, including two wins over Daniil Medvedev and victories against Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton, Lorenzo Musetti and Andrey Rublev. He is also the youngest China Open finalist since Rafael Nadal.
Jannik Sinner is a bit of a different story, though.
Jannik Sinner v Learner Tien head-to-head
06:03 , Jamie BraidwoodThe China Open final will get underway at 7am UK time in Beijing.
This will be the first career meeting between Jannik Sinner and Learner Tien, the World No 52 and 19-year-old American.
Welcome
06:00 , Jamie BraidwoodJannik Sinner bids to win his first title outside of the grand slams this season as the World No 2 faces Learner Tien in the China Open final in Beijing.
Sinner defended his Australian Open title and defeated rival Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon but is otherwise without a title on the ATP Tour this season, in a year in which the Italian served a three-month doping ban.
Sinner now has the chance to gain some ground on his young rival Alcaraz in the race for the year-end No 1 after the Spaniard withdraw from the Shanghai Masters just hours after winning the Japan Open title.
