Carlos Alcaraz claimed an anti-climatic victory in the final of the Cincinnati Open as world number one Jannik Sinner retired in the first set due to illness.
Despite losing the Wimbledon final to the Italian last month, Alcaraz has had the edge in a compelling rivalry between the top two players in the men's game.
But the 14th meeting between the pair did not live up to the billing, with Alcaraz claiming his 22nd ATP Tour title in circumstances far from befitting of the occasion.
Sinner retires after first set struggles
Alcaraz was utterly dominant in the first set, breezing into a 5-0 lead as Sinner produced a bizarrely error strewn performance.
Jannik Sinner retires due to illness in the final of the Cincinnati Open against Carlos Alcaraz. pic.twitter.com/e9J2ecefH9
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) August 18, 2025
Indeed, Sinner won just four points across his three service games and committed nine unforced errors over the course of the five games he contested.
The four-time grand slam champion called for the physio before electing to withdraw from the contest in his final appearance before the US Open gets underway next week.
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Sinner is the favourite to prevail in the men's singles at Flushing Meadows, and exercising caution by pulling out of the Cincinnati final while clearly far from his best was probably the best course of action from the 24-year-old.
Assuming he shakes off his illness, Sinner could renew his rivalry with Alcaraz in the final in New York on September 7. An elongated and significantly more climatic encounter will be expected should that scenario come to pass.
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