Sinner, Medvedev, Sabalenka On Court

Both reigning US Open champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka are in action Saturday at the China Open in Beijing.

Sabalenka leads the WTA 1000 field as the top seed and the tournament favorite. The Belarussian opens play against a qualifier from Thailand, Manachaya Sawangkaew.

“I think I still need some time to realize what happened,” Sabalenka said. “I think I just going to look back at the season after I finish this season. Right now I just want to keep going till the end without, like, looking back and thinking.

“But, yeah, I don’t know, I think I had four or five days off. I think it was enough to celebrate, to have fun, to recharge, reset, and start everything over again. I had good week and a half, I guess, of preparation before the Asia.

“I think it was enough time. Of course, I would take more break, but I just couldn’t.”

Two-time Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini also starts her first China Open as a top seed and gold medalist Qinwen Zheng will be a star attraction in her homeland taking on lucky loser Kamila Rakhimova.

“People start to get tired at the end of the season. For me it’s different. I’m really motivated to come play in China, in front of my people. I know they’re going to support me,” Zheng said.

“I feel right now I’m quite fresh for all those tournament ’cause I have a big expectations ’cause last year for the Asia Games, I was not able to prepare well in the China Open. But this year I had a good preparation. I really wants to see how it goes.

“I will not show you the gold medal here because it’s been a while. I’m not going to take my gold medal everywhere I go. I want to focus on the China Open, the tournament. I will forget what I have achieved in the Olympics because I have to be grounded in each match.”

Yesterday, both Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula were winners and former champ Naomi Osaka won in three sets.

In men’s field, Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev return to action after their opening round wins. Yesterday saw Carlos Alcaraz outclass French giant Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.

“The plan was just to put as many returns in as I can,” Alcaraz told the ATP. “Honestly it wasn’t easy. He was serving 230 or 240 almost every serve. Second set, 210 or 215. So, it wasn’t easy to play against him. He’s a really powerful player. Big serve, big shots from the baseline. So I had to be really focused. That was the plan. Try to not make too many mistakes and play aggressive from the baseline.”

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