Carlos Alcaraz is back in Cincinnati, preparing to play in his first tournament since Wimbledon.
Alcaraz, who did not play at the Canadian Open, will be hoping to bounce back after losing the Wimbledon final to Jannik Sinner.
Heading into the final, Alcaraz was the two-time defending champion. However, he struggled to match Jannik Sinner’s aggressive serving display, eventually losing the contest in four sets.
Sinner, who also missed the tournament in Canada, is the number one seed in Cincinnati, meaning another mouthwatering clash could potentially transpire.
Ahead of his first match, Alcaraz spoke to the media about the Wimbledon final, and how long it took him to recover from the loss.
It took Alcaraz ‘a few hours’ to overcome Wimbledon final defeat
Speaking to reporters during the Cincinnati Open Media Day, Alcaraz described his immediate feelings after losing the Wimbledon final to his great rival, Jannik Sinner.
The Italian gained revenge on the Spaniard at SW19, after losing the French Open final in excruciating circumstances.
As per Punto de Break, Alcaraz said: “Losing a Grand Slam final was a new situation for me, but one must be prepared for that.
“Obviously, I didn’t want it to happen ever, but I left the court proud and happy, smiling at the thought that at some point it had to happen because it has happened to all the tennis players in history.
“It took me a few hours to overcome the defeat, knowing that I have many things to improve.
“I could only feel grateful for having lived a Wimbledon final; I left proud of what I did.”
Alcaraz wants to end the year as world number one
In July, Alcaraz told Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport that his main goal for the rest of the year was to reclaim the world number one spot.
During the Media Day in Cincinnati, Alcaraz reaffirmed his goal to catch Jannik Sinner in the ATP rankings.
Alcaraz said: “I feel very satisfied with how I’m doing things and want to continue this way.
“There are various improvements I would like to implement in my tennis, but right now the key is to maintain joy on the court and be happy off it, enjoying in the most important tournaments in the world.”
![Jannik Sinner (ITA) [1] with the winner's trophy after winning his Gentlemen's Singles Final match against Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) [2] during day fourteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2025 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 13, 2025 in London, England.](https://cdn1.tennishead.net/uploads/106/2025/08/GettyImages-2225106887-1024x685.jpg)
Alcaraz added: “My goal from now until the end of the season is to reclaim the world number one spot.”
Sinner will face either qualifier Diego Galan or Czechia’s Vit Kopriva in his second round match, while Alcaraz will play against either Mattia Bellucci or Damir Dzumhur. Both players have received a first-round bye due to their seeded positions in the draw.
