Monday at the China Open was marked by a wave of mid-match retirements, yet top seeds Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek advanced comfortably, while Daniil Medvedev set up a semifinal clash with rising American Learner Tien.
Injury Toll Mounts
A total of five players retired mid-match across the men’s and women’s draws:
- Zheng Qinwen withdrew trailing 6-4, 3-6, 3-0 against Linda Noskova.
- Jakub Mensik, Camila Osorio, Lois Boisson, and Lorenzo Musetti also exited matches prematurely.
Zheng, recovering from right elbow surgery after Wimbledon, admitted the tough decision to stop playing was made cautiously to avoid further injury.
“It’s really disappointing not to finish the match… I made a conservative choice to protect my body,” said Zheng.
Top Seeds March On
Men’s Draw
- Jannik Sinner overcame Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan 6-1, 7-5. The Italian broke three times in the first set and closed with back-to-back love games in the second. Sinner will face Alex de Minaur, who advanced after Mensik retired at 4-1 in the opening set.
“Every match against Alex feels like a chess battle,” Sinner said.
- Daniil Medvedev defeated Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-3 to reach the semifinals. He will meet 19-year-old Learner Tien, who moved on following Musetti’s retirement.
Women’s Draw
- Iga Swiatek extended her unbeaten streak in Beijing, advancing after Camila Osorio retired following a 6-0 first set. The win marked Swiatek’s 400th career match victory. She will play 16th seed Emma Navarro, who moved on after Lois Boisson retired.
“It’s always sad to see a match end this way… the support from the Beijing crowd gives me a lot of energy,” Swiatek said.
- Other winners included Mirra Andreeva over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (6-4, 6-1) and Marta Kostyuk against Aliaksandra Sasnovich (6-4, 6-2).
Physical Toll of the Asian Swing
Monday’s spate of retirements highlighted both the rigors of the Asian swing and the resilience required at this stage of the season. Players continue to balance the demands of long matches, injuries, and the push for ranking points as the season nears its climax.