Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner had a fast-paced post-match experience after their gripping showdown in the China Open final. They hurried to the airport and ended up sharing a private jet to make it to the Shanghai Masters on time.

Alcaraz emerged victorious over Sinner in a marathon three-hour and 21-minute battle to clinch the Beijing title on Wednesday. Despite the victory, the Spaniard faced a tight turnaround as he had his bags packed in advance in preparation for the swift journey to Shanghai.

Scheduled to face Shang Juncheng in the second round on Friday after receiving a first-round bye, the 21-year-old barely caught his breath before diving into the competition at the Shanghai Masters. The tournament in Shanghai began on the same day as the China Open final, leaving Alcaraz with little time to spare.

Reflecting on the whirlwind schedule, Alcaraz commented, “The tennis schedule is so tight, but we have to get used to it, or I guess we have to. Yesterday we finished 8:30, 9:00 pm, a three-hour match, and then I had no time to do anything else. We arrive at 4:00 am, just to be ready or just to have some sleep here in Shanghai, and woke up to get used to the conditions here and try to be ready for my first match.”

Despite the challenges, Alcaraz expressed feeling rejuvenated after a busy summer that saw him triumph at the French Open and Wimbledon, followed by a runner-up finish at the Olympics in Paris where he fell to Novak Djokovic in the gold medal match.

“I had a really good month of practice after the American swing. The Davis Cup and the Laver Cup helped me a lot to get the energy back, to get motivated again,” Alcaraz shared.

“The Laver Cup, same thing. Those competitions helped me a lot to get the joy back on the court, and being focused on what’s next. I came here to Asia with a lot of energy, enjoying every single second that I step on the court, and that for me it’s really important.”