Updated on: Aug 19, 2025 02:03 am IST
Carlos Alcaraz dominated the opening set before last year’s champion Jannik Sinner was forced to retire due to illness.
Carlos Alcaraz clinched his maiden ATP Cincinnati Open title on Tuesday after world number 1 Jannik Sinner retired due to illness in the first set of the men’s singles final. Sinner decided that he couldn’t continue after Alcaraz had a scintillating start to the final with a 5-0 lead in the first set. Alcaraz looked in top form as Sinner, battling illness, found it hard to keep up. The Spaniard dominated the opening set before last year’s champion was forced to retire.
The Cincinnati final was the fourth meeting of the season between Alcaraz and Sinner, two rising stars whose rivalry has already produced title clashes in Rome, Roland Garros, and Wimbledon. Another thrilling showdown was anticipated, but Sinner’s illness cut the contest short, preventing the finale from living up to its billing.
Alcaraz’s start was dominant. He didn’t allow the world number one to settle a bit and claimed back-to-back points in the first set to take a 5-0 lead. Sinner took a moment after that and realised that his illness is not allowing him to play at the highest level.
Jannik Sinner retired after 23 minutes
He retired after just 23 minutes of play, sparking doubts over his fitness with the U.S. Open title defence only days away. Singles action at the hard-court major begins Sunday. Questions also remain about whether the Italian will recover in time to team up with Katerina Siniakova in the new mixed doubles event at Flushing Meadows, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Cincinnati final was the fourth meeting of the season between Alcaraz and Sinner, two rising stars whose rivalry has already produced title clashes in Rome, Roland Garros, and Wimbledon. Another thrilling showdown was anticipated, but Sinner’s illness cut the contest short, preventing the finale from living up to its billing.
Alcaraz meanwhile expressed sympathy with Sinner, who gave no indication of the exact nature of his illness.
“I’m pretty sure that from these situations you’re going to come back better, even stronger than you always do — that’s what true champions do,” Alcaraz said.
The Cincinnati Open is considered a tune-up for the US Open, which begins Sunday in New York. In the last two years, both the men’s and women’s Cincinnati Open champions went on to win the final Grand Slam tournament of the year.
