Riding high from his triumph over Carlos Alcaraz at the Wimbledon Championships, Jannik Sinner appeared to be struggling significantly during their Monday face-off, a repeat of their previous encounter between the world’s top two tennis stars.
Sinner conceded the Cincinnati Open final against Alcaraz in the initial set on Monday, citing a health issue, after falling behind 5-0. Sinner stayed for the trophy presentation and addressed the audience about his condition. Although he didn’t go into specifics, he mentioned that he “wasn’t feeling well.”
“I’m extremely sorry for the disappointment,” Sinner expressed. “Since yesterday, I haven’t been at my best. I had hoped that I would feel better overnight, but it actually worsened.
“I attempted to play, to at least put up a bit of a fight. However, I couldn’t continue any longer.”
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Sinner’s withdrawal occurs just days before the US Open begins. The opening-round matches are scheduled to commence on Sunday.
Sinner enters as the defending US Open champion, aiming for his third Grand Slam title of the year, having already secured victories at Wimbledon and the Australian Open. His early exit on Monday naturally raises concerns about his ability to defend his title and pursue his fifth Grand Slam championship overall.
Sinner’s performance was subpar from the beginning
Sinner seemed out of sync right from the start, under the afternoon sun on a day where the temperature reached 88 degrees in Cincinnati. Sinner served first and quickly allowed Alcaraz to gain a 40-0 lead in the game, with Alcaraz ultimately taking a 1-0 lead.
Sinner commenced his second service game with a double fault, leading to another 40-0 deficit before Alacaraz broke his serve again for a 3-0 advantage. Sinner then requested a bag of ice during the break between games. In his third service game, Sinner committed a double fault while trailing 40-30, allowing Alcaraz to secure his third break and a 5-0 lead.
Subsequently, Sinner requested medical assistance. Shortly thereafter, the chair umpire announced Sinner’s retirement from the match. Alcaraz then comforted his competitor as Sinner sat, visibly upset, on the bench. Following the announcement, Alacaraz wrote “Sorry Jannik” on the TV camera lens.
Will Sinner be fit for the US Open?
Monday’s final was eagerly awaited as the final preparatory tournament before the US Open. This contest marked the 15th encounter between the two players and the fourth final they’ve played against each other this year.
Alcaraz overcame Sinner in a memorable, five-set French Open final that was quickly hailed as one of the greatest tennis matches ever played. A month later, Sinner defeated Alcaraz in four sets to claim his first Wimbledon title in the second Grand Slam final of the year featuring these two prominent figures.
However, Monday’s rematch failed to live up to expectations due to Sinner’s health issues. With this victory, Alcaraz’s record against Sinner improves to 9-5 overall, having won six of their last seven matches.
Attention now shifts to the US Open, where Sinner will be hoping to recover and contend for a potential third Grand Slam final of the year against Alcaraz.
