Jannik Sinner, speaking after his victory over Bu Yunchaokete to set up a China Open final with Carlos Alcaraz:

“It’s going to be a tough match. We know each other very well now, but every match is different, so the situation on the court is also a bit different than it was the last two matches. But let’s see.

“I’m happy to be again here in the final. My season is going very, very good and playing finals is always a great moment. I just hope tomorrow is going to be a good match from both of us.”

Jannik Sinner has said that he is “very disappointed and also surprised” after the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) announced that it would be appealing the decision to clear the Italian of a doping offence.

An independent tribunal found that the World No 1 was not at fault despite twice testing positive for a banned substance earlier this year.

Sinner secured his second grand slam title of the year at the US Open just 19 days after the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced that it accepted his explanation that the anabolic agent had entered his body after receiving massages from a member of his team.

But on Saturday, the 23-year-old’s future was thrown back into doubt after Wada announced an intention to challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

It’s been a strong week of matches at the China Open but hopefully today’s blockbuster between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner does not end the same way as yesterday’s popcorn match.

That’s after Coco Gauff helped carry Naomi Osaka’s bags off the court when the former World No 1 retired from their highly anticipated China Open quarter-final with a back injury.

Gauff had just levelled the match at one-set all when Osaka shook hands with her opponent, having received medical treatment earlier in the contest.

“It was a good match up until this point,” Gauff said. “I wish Naomi a speedy recovery. No one wants to win a match like this, especially one-set all.”

Have you heard the story of Zhang Shuai? You should have, as it’s perhaps one of the best stories in sport right now.

The veteran wildcard came into the China Open having lost 24 singles matches in a row, but has now won four victories in succession with a 6-4 6-2 win over Magdalena Frech.

Ranked 595th in the world, Zhang will is through to the quarter-finals where she will take on 15th seed Paula Badosa, who upset US Open finalist Jessica Pegula 6-4 6-0.

Daniil Medvedev told Carlos Alcaraz that he would have to try dressing up like Botic van de Zandschulp after the Spaniard advanced to the final of the China Open with a 7-5 6-3 victory in Beijing.

Alcaraz was stunned by Van de Zandschulp in the second round of the US Open last month, in one of the biggest upsets of the season.

After Alcaraz beat Medvedev for the third time this year, the World No 5 covered his mouth as he went to shake hands and said something to the Spaniard that made him laugh and shake his head.

And in his press conference after the match, Medvedev explained: “I told Carlos next match I’m going to paint my hair blond and put ‘Botic’ here [drawing a line across his chest].

“Maybe this can help. As I say, today I played pretty well. I don’t see how I could beat him today, on a given day today.”

Unlike his opponent, Carlos Alcaraz is yet to drop a set in Beijing. The Spaniard reached the final thanks to wins over Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Tallon Griekspoor, Karen Khachanov and Daniil Medvedev.

His victory over Medvedev featured some brilliant tennis, as Alcaraz extended his winning streak over the Russian to four matches since losing to him in the US Open semi-finals last season.

Jannik Sinner is the defending China Open champion. He actually beat Alcaraz in last year’s semi-final before taking down Daniil Medvedev 7-6 7-6. It’s crazy to think that Sinner was actually only the sixth seed in the tournament.

This year, Sinner has continued his hot-streak. Since losing the opening set of his opening match against Nicolas Jarry, Sinner has beaten Roman Safiullin, Jiri Lehecka and the Chinese wildcard Bu Yunchaokete to reach a second straight final.

The China Open final is Alcaraz and Sinner’s 10th career meeting but just the second in the final of a tournament. The only other final thay have played was on the clay in Umag two years ago, which Sinner won in three sets.

Recently, Alcaraz and Sinner have found themselves on the same half of the draw and their last five meetings have been in semi-finals. That includes the French Open semi-final this season, which Alcaraz won in five sets.

Alcaraz leads the head-to-head 5-4. Will it become 5-5 or 6-4 today?

Alcaraz and Sinner are set to meet in the China Open final on Tuesday 2 October. The match is scheduled to begin at 10am BST.

Sky Sports has the rights for the China Open and will be showing Alcaraz vs Sinner on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Tennis.

If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.

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The two young rivals split the grand slam titles this season, with Sinner winning his first on the hard-courts of the Australian Open and the US Open and Alcaraz conquering the other surfaces by winning the French Open and Wimbledon.

Now, after five consecutive meetings in semi-finals, Alcaraz, 21, and Sinner, 23, will face each other in a final for the first time in two years. The Spaniard has won both of their matches this season, including a five-set victory in the French Open semi-finals.

But Sinner defeated Alcaraz on his way to winning the China Open last season, and the Italian has been the best player in the world since the turn of the year. The World No 1 won the US Open last month amid his ongoing anti-doping controversy.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the China Open final.