Carlos Alcaraz was crowned the Cincinnati Open champion on Monday after world number one and defending US Open champion Jannik Sinner was forced to retire from the final due to illness.
The highly anticipated clash between the top two players in men’s tennis ended abruptly after only 23 minutes, leaving both fans and players with mixed emotions just days before the US Open kicks off in New York.
Alcaraz, the Spanish second seed, was leading 5-0 in the opening set when Sinner, clearly struggling in the humid and sweltering conditions, signalled that he could not continue.
With that, the Italian’s 26-match winning streak on hard courts came to a sudden halt, handing Alcaraz his third Masters 1000 title of the season, after earlier triumphs in Monte Carlo and Rome.
Though victorious, the 21-year-old Spaniard expressed his disappointment at the manner of the win during the trophy ceremony.
“This is not the way I want to win titles,” Alcaraz said, addressing Sinner directly. “I just have to say sorry. I can only imagine how you must feel right now.
But as I’ve said many times before, you’re a true champion. I’m sure you will come back even stronger, as you always do. That’s what true champions are made of.”
Sinner, who had been aiming to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2015 to defend the Cincinnati crown, looked physically drained right from the start.
Despite trying to push through, the 23-year-old Italian decided to stop before risking further damage. Speaking to the crowd, he offered an emotional apology:
“I’m super, super sorry to disappoint you all,” Sinner said. “Yesterday I wasn’t feeling great, but I thought things would improve overnight. Unfortunately, I felt worse.
I wanted to at least give you a match, but my body simply didn’t allow me to play more, so I’m very sorry.”
His withdrawal not only cut short the Cincinnati final but also cast doubt on his immediate participation in the upcoming US Open.
Questions remain about whether he will recover in time to defend his title in New York, and whether he can still team up with Katerina Siniakova in the revamped mixed doubles event scheduled at Flushing Meadows.
The Cincinnati final had been billed as a possible preview of another blockbuster clash at the US Open.
The pair have dominated recent majors, with Alcaraz producing a historic comeback at Roland Garros, overturning a two-set deficit and saving three championship points to beat Sinner, while the Italian gained revenge by lifting the Wimbledon title.
Monday’s result also shifted their head-to-head record further in Alcaraz’s favour. The Spaniard now leads 9–5 overall, including a commanding 6–2 advantage on hard courts.
Despite the anticlimactic finish, tennis fans will eagerly await the next chapter of what is fast becoming one of the sport’s defining rivalries.
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