Carlos Alcaraz Claims Cincinnati Open as Unwell Sinner Retires Ahead of US Open Title Defence

Carlos Alcaraz claimed the Cincinnati Open title on Monday (August 18, 2025) after world number one Jannik Sinner retired due to illness. The Italian’s withdrawal raised concerns about his fitness just days before the start of his U.S. Open title defence.

Alcaraz Secures Victory in Unusual Circumstances

The Spanish second seed halted Sinner’s 26-match winning streak on hard courts when his opponent, struggling physically, decided to stop while trailing 5-0 in the first set of the final.

“This is not the way that I want to win trophies, I just have to say sorry, I can understand how you must feel now,” Alcaraz told Sinner during the trophy presentation.

The Spaniard added, “As I said many times, you are a true champion and I am sure from these situations, you are going to come back even stronger, as you always do. That’s what true champions do.”

This marked Alcaraz’s third Masters 1000 crown of the year after victories in Monte Carlo and Rome.

Sinner Struggles in the Heat

Sinner, the defending champion, had been chasing a rare back-to-back Cincinnati win, last achieved by Roger Federer in 2015. However, he looked uncomfortable from the start in the sweltering conditions. He ended the match after just 23 minutes.

“I’m super, super sorry to disappoint you,” Sinner told the fans. “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 sorry.”

Questions now surround his ability to compete in the revamped mixed doubles event at the U.S. Open with Katerina Siniakova, scheduled to begin on Tuesday. Singles matches start on Sunday, August 24.

A Rivalry That Defines Modern Tennis

The Cincinnati final was anticipated as a preview of a possible U.S. Open showdown between the top two players.

The pair have faced each other in the finals of the last two majors: Alcaraz came back from two sets down at Roland Garros to win, while Sinner triumphed at Wimbledon.

With Monday’s result, Alcaraz extended his head-to-head lead to 9-5, including a 6-2 advantage on hard courts.

Alcaraz’s Strong 2025 Season

By winning his sixth title of the year, Alcaraz also boosted his chances of reclaiming the year-end No. 1 ranking, which he last held in 2022. He now leads Sinner by 1,890 points in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.

The Spaniard also earned his 22nd tour-level trophy and eighth ATP Masters 1000 crown, trailing only Novak Djokovic among active players. With a Tour-leading 54 wins this season, Alcaraz heads to New York in prime form.

Sinner’s Struggles and Uncertain Future

Sinner, who celebrated his 24th birthday just days earlier, had not dropped a set en route to the final. His 26-match hard-court winning streak ended with the retirement, his first loss on the surface since falling to Alcaraz in Beijing last year.

“I love Grand Slams a lot. This is the main, main tournaments for my season and for my career,” Sinner said when asked about his preparation for the U.S. Open.

“So US Open is going to be tough tournament, but in the same time, I’m looking forward to it. If I’m ready, physically and mentally, I will be ready to push. So as I said, now a couple of days of recovery, and then we get again back to work, and hopefully we’ll be ready.”

The reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion slipped to 31-4 for the season. Despite the defeat, he reflected positively on his campaign so far: “Yeah, I feel like a very positive week. I mean, making finals of a Masters event, it’s always an amazing achievement. I feel like in the season I’m playing, it’s an incredible season. So we’ll keep going, keep pushing as I say. Now I have already some points where I need to improve if I want to go far in the US Open.”

Rankings Battle Ahead of the U.S. Open

With the Cincinnati win, Alcaraz will enter the U.S. Open with a slim 50-point lead in the live rankings once last year’s points are deducted.

Sinner, who has held the No. 1 ranking for 63 consecutive weeks, will need to progress further than Alcaraz in New York to remain at the top.

Their rivalry, which has produced four finals this season, continues to define men’s tennis. While Sinner faces a race against time to recover, Alcaraz enters the final Grand Slam of the year with momentum and confidence.