Sinner retires, Alcaraz wins Cincinnati Open for the first time

(Dan Tri) - Carlos Alcaraz won his 6th title of the season at the Cincinnati Open in the early morning of August 19, after his opponent Jannik Sinner was forced to retire after only 23 minutes in the final match.

Defending champion Sinner looked unwell in the sweltering heat and had to call a doctor after trailing 5-0 in the first set, after which the Italian was unable to continue.

With his 22nd tournament-level title, Alcaraz strengthens his ambitions to claim the year-end No. 1 ranking, a title he last achieved in 2022. The Spaniard now leads Sinner by 1,890 points at the ATP Live Race To Turin.

Aclaraz won the Cincinnati Open (Photo: Getty).

"I'm really sorry to disappoint you. I haven't been feeling well since yesterday. I thought I would improve tonight, but it got worse. I tried to play, tried to play at least a complete game, but I couldn't take it anymore, so I'm really sorry," Sinner told fans.

The defeat ended Sinner's 26-match winning streak on hard courts. He now faces a rapid recovery ahead of his US Open title defence. The world number one's participation in the mixed doubles, where he will play alongside Katerina Siniakova in the early hours of 20 August, may now be in doubt.

“This is not the way I wanted to win the trophy, I'm sorry, I understand how you feel right now. As I've said many times, you are a true champion and I'm sure that after these situations you will come back stronger, as you always do. That's what true champions do. I'm sorry and I wish you will come back stronger," Alcaraz told Sinner.

Sinner was disappointed after being unable to continue playing (Photo: Getty).

Alcaraz missed a title point before falling to Novak Djokovic in the 2023 final, which many consider one of the most dramatic ATP Tour matches in history. However, the 22-year-old Spaniard has now won his eighth ATP Masters 1000 title in Ohio, more than any active player apart from Djokovic (40).

With 54 wins and a Tour-leading six titles in 2025, Alcaraz will be heading into the US Open, which could have a huge impact on his race for the world No. 1 ranking with Sinner. With Sinner being the defending champion at Flushing Meadows, Alcaraz will start with a 50-point gap in the ATP Live rankings once their points from the 2024 US Open are factored in.

After ending a five-match losing streak to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final, Sinner is aiming to make it back-to-back wins against his opponent for the first time since 2023. However, Alcaraz has taken the head-to-head record to 9-5, with four straight finals this season at Rome, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and Cincinnati.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/sinner-bo-cuoc-alcaraz-lan-dau-vo-dich-cincinnati-open-20250819083813245.htm