Alex de Minaur books a spot in China Open final after semi-final twist

Alex de Minaur has won through to the China Open final after his semi-final opponent, Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, retired injured while trailing in the second set in Beijing.

De Minaur was up 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 No. 9-ranked de Minaur will now pursue a 12th career title in the final against the winner out of sixth seed Novak Djokovic and the third-seeded Daniil Medvedev.

Passage to Tuesday’s decider continued a strong turnaround for de Minaur after his tournament looked in doubt 24 hours earlier.

On Sunday, the 27-year-old was in dire trouble in his quarter-final against Russia’s Andrey Rublev after winning only one game in the first set, but came back to win 1-6 6-2 6-3.

Monday continued the Australian’s sparkling form, though world No. 34 Hurkacz made him earn the win, despite coming in trailing de Minaur 3-1 on career meetings.

De Minaur pounced immediately to break a tentative Hurkacz in his opening two service games before holding to lead 4-0, and again for 5-1.

To his credit, Hurkacz steadied and after breaking back from deuce in the eighth game he held again to make it 5-4.

De Minaur steeled himself, however, holding serve to 15 to take the set.

Another break in the third game of the second set helped de Minaur build a 3-1 lead.

Hurkacz fought desperately to hold serve in the following game - surviving four break points and a marathon deuce game - to make it 3-2.

But he would see only three more points before withdrawing.

In Tokyo, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz overcame early wobbles on his serve ‌to outclass fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar 5-7 6-3 6-1 ‌and reach the Japan Open final, ‌taking another step towards his first singles title after his comeback from a wrist injury.

Alcaraz completed the career grand slam by capturing the ‌Australian Open ‌title ⁠in February but sustained the injury ​two months later.

He came back at the US Open, where a quarter-final run hinted at a swift return to form.

The 23-year-old, who ⁠moved through the ‌gears ​during Team Europe’s triumphant Laver Cup campaign in September, was ‌cruising against Munar in Tokyo at 5-4 ​before gifting the opening set to his opponent with two shaky service games.

After a ​sluggish ​start to the ​next set - completing a run of 16 straight losing points - Alcaraz raised ‌his level to force a decider and the seven-time major champion wore Munar down with stunning shot-making to set up a title clash ​with either Jiri Lehecka or Valentin Vacherot ​on Tuesday.