Alcaraz Wins Cincinnati Open as Unwell Sinner Retires

Carlos Alcaraz wrapped up the Cincinnati Open title after world number one Jannik Sinner was forced to withdraw due to illness in Monday’s final, therefore generating questions about the Italian’s readiness ahead of his US Open title defense.With the top seed withdrawing while down 50 in the first set after only 23 minutes of play, the Spanish second seed stopped Sinner’s 26-match hardcourt winning streak.During the awards, Alcaraz remarked that “this is not how I want to win trophies” and commended his opponent as a “true champion” who would return stronger. Following triumphs in Monte Carlo and Rome, Alcaraz’s victory gave him his third Masters 1000 title of the season.Sinner, hoping to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2015 to capture back-to-back Cincinnati titles, apologized to admirers and explained he had felt ill the previous day and deteriorated overnight. “I tried to create at least a tiny match, but I couldn’t manage more,” he informed the audience.The setback raises questions regarding Sinner’s readiness for the US Open, where he is set to kick off his singles campaign on Sunday and take part earlier in the week in a new mixed doubles event with Katerina Siniakova.With Alcaraz and Sinner splitting the last two Grand Slam crowns—Alcaraz winning at Roland Garros and Sinner triumphant at Wimbledon—the Cincinnati confrontation had been advertised as a possible sneak peek of a US Open final. With a 6–2 advantage on hardcourts, Monday’s result stretched Alcaraz’s head-to-head record over his opponent to 9–5.