Alcaraz upset by Machac in Shanghai; Sabalenka rallies in Wuhan

Shanghai: No. 2-ranked Carlos Alcaraz’s 12-match winning streak was ended by Tomas Machac 7-6 (5), 7-5 in the Shanghai Masters quarterfinals on Thursday. It was No. 33 Machac’s third tour-level quarterfinal, and the Czech player proved more than a match for the four-time major-winning Spaniard as he earned his second win over a top-five opponent this year in two hours.

Machac will play top-ranked Jannik Sinner in the semifinals. “I knew that the level of my tennis would be great because I am playing the best right now, for sure,” Machac said.

Wuhan Open

Second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka rallied from a set down to beat No. 35 Yulia Putintseva 1-6, 6-4, 6-0 to maintain her undefeated record at the Wuhan Open and rise to the top of the WTA rankings.

Thursday’s win for the Belarussian allowed her to regain top spot in the rankings from Iga Swiatek, who is absent from the women’s Asian swing citing personal reasons and fatigue.

Sabalenka is 14-0 in Wuhan after winning the title on her first appearance in 2018 and defending her crown in 2019.