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For Carlos Alcaraz, this was his sixth ATP title this year | Credit: Colin McPhedran/Shutterstock
Carlos Alcaraz, a former world champion, won the Cincinnati Open with a low-key victory after his opponent, Jannik Sinner retired from the match due to illness, 23 minutes into it. Sinner had said that he felt sick the night before, and thought that he would be fine by game time. Wrong. He felt worse. Sinner, after retiring from the game, said, “I was sorry for everyone. I had tried to come, to at least make a small fire, but it was too much.
The Italian player was beaten in the first game by the Murcian tennisplayer during the final. Thus, Alcaraz becomes the third Spaniard to win the tournament, after Carlos Moyá and Rafa Nadal. Alcaraz apologized to Jannik on camera following the final. In exactly one month, the Italian had won the Wimbledon final in which the two players had played. They had met three times this year in finals, Rome and Roland Garros were for Alcaraz; and Wimbledon was for Sinner.
Alcaraz won his sixth ATP title of the year, and 22nd in total. This is a small revenge for the loss he suffered to Sinner last month in Wimbledon’s final. Now he heads to the US Open in hopes of winning a sixth Grand Slam. Sinner’s unusual entry into the final was to concede his serve at love. It showed that he still had not entered the match. Alcaraz then came back and led 0-40 with Sinner’s next serve. On his third breakpoint, he made it to 3-0.
Sinner seeks out medical attention after losing by 5-0
Sinner appeared to be out of the match and was not seen talking with his teammates about solutions. Alcaraz, with Sinner at 4-0 and two break points left, converted both of them after a double-fault from the Italian. Sinner, who was serving at 5-0, sought medical help and explained to doctors that he could not continue because he did not feel in control of his body. Just before the US Open begins, the Spaniard will catch up to Sinner in the ATP rankings. The Italian is also defending the US Open.
Sinner lost his streak of 26 consecutive victories on the hard court, a feat that only Roger Federer had previously achieved.
