Sinner Electrifies Beijing with Dominant Victory over Cilic
World No. 2 Prepares for Atmane Rematch at Chinese ATP 500
September 25, 2025
China Open
Jannik Sinner achieves an impressive 10-1 record at the China Open in Beijing.
By Jerome Coombe
Jannik Sinner kicked off his quest to reclaim the China Open trophy with an impressive display, overcoming two-time finalist Marin Cilic with a score of 6-2, 6-2.
Making his first appearance after a tough US Open final loss to Carlos Alcaraz, which caused him to relinquish the No. 1 rank in the PIF ATP standings, Sinner showcased his resilience. The 24-year-old Italian, who debuted victoriously in Beijing last year and reached the finals, faced only one break point in this match, successfully shutting it down, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
Kicking things off with a BANG! 💪 @janniksin takes down Cilic 6-2 6-2 to move on to Round 2 in Beijing @chinaopen | #2025ChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/8W6A9G9003
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 25, 2025
“I always focus intensely during my first-round matches because anything can happen,” Sinner noted, reflecting on his impressive streak of 27 opening-round wins since Cincinnati in 2023. “Once I settle in, I get a better feel for my rhythm, pace, and the court conditions. I arrived early to fully adapt here.”
“I’m thrilled with today’s performance. Marin is a challenging opponent with peak capabilities. Breaking him early in both sets really helped boost my confidence.”
As he continues his rivalry with Alcaraz for the ATP Year-End No. 1 title presented by PIF, Sinner is keen to close the gap. He finds himself trailing the Spaniard, who is currently competing in Tokyo, by 2,590 points in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.
Next up, Sinner will face Terence Atmane for the second time in two months. The French qualifier secured his first tour-level win by defeating Zhang Zhizhen, following a surprising run to the Cincinnati semi-finals, where Sinner previously edged him out.
Earlier on Day 1 in the Chinese capital, Alexandre Muller pulled off an early upset, overcoming Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 for his inaugural Top 10 victory on hard courts and third overall (3-9). He will face Fabian Marozsan, who triumphed over Benjamin Bonzi 7-6(1), 6-3 in his Beijing debut.
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina also progressed to the second round, securing a steady 6-1, 6-3 win against Camilo Ugo Carabelli. The Spaniard, who delivered 21 winners including six aces, is set to meet either eighth seed Daniil Medvedev or Cameron Norrie in the next round.
