Carlos Alcaraz captured his first Cincinnati Open title on Monday, but in circumstances neither player nor the packed crowd at the Lindner Family Tennis Center could have envisioned. World number one Jannik Sinner was forced to retire just 23 minutes into their highly anticipated championship clash, trailing 0-5 in the opening set. The anticlimactic ending denied tennis fans what promised to be another classic chapter in the sport's most captivating young rivalry, while handing Alcaraz his eighth Masters 1000 crown and strengthening his bid for year-end number one.
Different roads to the final
Alcaraz's path to the title had been far from straightforward. He needed three sets to overcome Andrey Rublev in a nervy quarterfinal, winning 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 despite committing 15 unforced errors and three double faults in the deciding set. His semifinal against Alexander Zverev was more comfortable (6-4, 6-3), though the German was clearly hampered by illness, requiring medical attention and appearing to struggle with breathing issues throughout the match. Alcaraz had some tough matches in Cincy throughout the whole week, including the surprisingly electric opener against the outsider Damir Dzumhur who managed to force a decider, winning one set to 6-2 against the favorized Spaniard.
For Sinner, the week had been near-perfect until the final. He demolished Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-0, 6-2 in the quarterfinals, then overcame qualifier Terence Atmane 6-3, 6-1 in the semifinals to reach his eighth Masters 1000 final. The Italian hadn't faced a single break point in his semifinal and was broken just twice all week before the final. His 84% first-serve points won and 65% on second serve through the semifinals suggested his game was in prime condition.
The contrasting preparation and shape on court may have played a role in the final's outcome. Sinner had spent just 4 hours and 31 minutes on court across four matches, while Alcaraz had battled for over seven hours. However, it was Sinner who appeared physically compromised, later revealing he had felt unwell since Sunday evening but hoped to recover in time for the final.
Early dominance cut short
Alcaraz began the match in scintillating form, racing through the first five games with a display of controlled aggression that left Sinner scrambling. The Spaniard's heavy topspin forehands found their targets with precision, while his movement and court coverage suffocated any attempts by Sinner to establish rhythm. Breaking serve twice in the opening games, Alcaraz appeared to be continuing the momentum from his semifinal victory over Alexander Zverev.
Sinner, who entered the match on a remarkable 18-match winning streak on hard courts, looked uncharacteristically sluggish from the first point. His usually reliable groundstrokes lacked depth and pace, while his movement appeared labored in the sweltering Ohio heat. The Italian's first-serve percentage plummeted to just 50% in those opening games, winning only four points on serve as Alcaraz dominated the baseline exchanges.
At 0-5, with the match threatening to become a rout, Sinner called for the doctor. The defending champion appeared to be struggling with the conditions, his shirt already drenched with sweat despite the brief duration of play. After a medical timeout lasting several minutes, during which his vital signs were checked and he received treatment courtside, Sinner attempted to continue but immediately signaled he could not proceed. The retirement marked a crushing end to what had been a flawless week for the Italian, who hadn't dropped a set en route to the final.
The Rivalry's fourth fiinal of 2025
This marked the fourth consecutive final between Sinner and Alcaraz in 2025, following showdowns in Rome, Roland Garros, and Wimbledon. The rivalry that has captivated tennis had produced three instant classics already this year - especially the unbelievable five-setter in Paris, concluded with the historic Alcaraz's comeback.
Their head-to-head now stands at 10-6 in Alcaraz's favor, though the circumstances of this victory will provide little satisfaction for either player. Sinner had been seeking to win back-to-back matches against his rival for the first time since 2023, having ended a five-match losing streak with his Wimbledon victory. Instead, questions about his physical condition heading into the US Open now dominate the narrative.
The statistical dominance Alcaraz displayed in those brief 23 minutes was overwhelming - he won 21 of 29 points played, including 12 of 16 on Sinner's serve. The Italian managed just eight points total, winning only two rallies that extended beyond four shots. While the sample size was minimal, it suggested Alcaraz had come prepared to attack Sinner's forehand with heavy cross-court patterns, a tactic that had served him well in their previous encounters and was unbearable to answer with Sinner's condition on that day.
Ranking implications
Both the finalists approached Cincinnati having in mind the tight contention in the ATP Race. Although Sinner was leading with a significant gap in the whole 52 weeks official list, it's Alcaraz who leads the ranks for 2025. That caused, that despite both competed in Grand Slam finals between each other, the ATP 1000 final match was also a crucial one. Winning or losing meant the swing of 700 points (1000 pts for winner, 650 for runner-up), and what happened there on Monday made Alcaraz strengthened the lead to very comfortable 1.9k points in that race. Sinner is still the world number one with the simillar advantage, however the projection after deducting points from last year's USO made both almost equal for now. The Italian needs to do his best to come back into health and form before next week unless the exciting battle for ending the season on top of the tennis world can be prematurely over.