Carlos Alcaraz wins first Cincinnati Open title as Jannik Sinner retires with illness

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Carlos Alcaraz won the Cincinnati Open title in anticlimactic circumstances as rival Jannik Sinner retired due to illness just 23 minutes into the match.

Alcaraz raced into a 5-0 lead in the first set of Monday’s final, the 14th matchup between the world’s two best players, when an out-of-sorts and emotional Sinner announced that he was unable to continue.

“I’m super, super sorry to disappoint you,” Sinner said to the crowd in his on-court interview. “From yesterday, I didn’t feel great. I thought that I would improve during the night, but it came up worse.

“I tried to come out, tried to make it at least a small match, but I couldn’t handle more, so I’m very, very sorry for all of you.”

This was Alcaraz’s sixth ATP title this year and 22nd overall, going some way to avenging his loss to Sinner in the Wimbledon final last month. He now heads to the US Open hoping to win a sixth grand slam crown.

“I’m so sorry for Jannik!” Alcaraz wrote on X. “Nobody likes to win because their opponent retires, especially in a final like this. Wishing you a speedy recovery! Very happy with my week in Cincinnati and feeling ready for the US Open.”

Sinner retired with illness 23 minutes into the match. Aaron Doster/ImagnReuters

The Spaniard’s victory ended Sinner’s 26-match winning streak on hard courts, as well as denying his opponent back-to-back titles in Cincinnati.

Sinner is scheduled to play in a revamped mixed doubles competition at the US Open alongside Czech Republic’s Kateřina Siniaková on Tuesday, though his participation is now in doubt.

Asked about how he now switches his focus to the US Open, Sinner said that he has “a couple of days of recovery,” per the ATP Tour, suggesting that he will skip the mixed doubles to focus on singles.

Alcaraz and Sinner have split the past seven grand slam titles, while Alcaraz’s first title in Cincinnati sees him close the gap on his rival at the top of the world rankings.

In the women’s final, Iga Świątek defeated Jasmine Paolini 7-5, 6-4 to claim a first Cincinnati title and 24th on the WTA Tour, adding to the maiden Wimbledon crown she won last month.

Świątek hits a return against Paolini. Aaron Doster/Imagn

Despite trailing 3-0 in the first set, Świątek rallied to take the victory in an hour and 49 minutes and maintain her unbeaten record against Paolini across six matches.

“Playing so well here in Cincinnati where it’s always tough and on faster, hard courts – it’s a great boost of confidence,” Świątek, who didn’t drop a set throughout the tournament, told Tennis Channel.

“I’m really happy that the work that I’ve been doing paid off … Everything clicked and I could play better and better every match of the tournament.”

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