Carlos Alcaraz was declared champion of the Cincinnati Open on Monday when Jannik Sinner was forced to withdraw the final due to illness. The premature withdrawal by the Italian star a number of days before the U.S. Open evoked new speculations over his condition.
The Spanish second seed Alcaraz was establishing a lead of 5-0 in the initial set when world top-ranked Sinner raised a stop hit because he could not go further. The retirement also brought to an impressive end with Sinner a run of 26 straight hard-court wins.
Please stop, this is not how I want to win trophies, added Alcaraz at the presentation ceremony after lifting his third Masters 1000 of the year in Rome, after Monte Carlo and Rome. You are a champion in the real sense and I can tell you that you will be back with more power as usual.
Hoping to join a list of men since Roger Federer in 2015 to win consecutive Cincinnati tournaments, Sinner was done in 23 minutes, quitting after being down a set to zero.
He said to the crowd: I think I am really sorry to disappoint you. I felt bad yesterday and believed that it would be better and became worse today. I did my best to make it at least a small match, but I could not do anymore.”
It is not clear whether the Italian would have time to recover and join Katerina Siniakova in the new mixed doubles event at next week s U.S. Open, or defend his singles title when the competition starts Sunday.
The final in Cincinnati was regarded as a precursor to potentially the great match up between the world no. 1 and 2 players in the forthcoming U.S. Open. Alcaraz and Sinner are the two players who have contested the previous two finals of major events Alcaraz winning the first in a thriller at Roland Garros where the Spaniard saved three championship points and Sinner taking revenge at Wimbledon.
The outcome has given Alcaraz an overall head-to-head record of 9-5 including 6-2 on hard courts.
