Alcaraz Claims Cincinnati Open After Sinner Retires
The Cincinnati Open men’s final in 2025 took an unexpected turn, and it ended far sooner than anyone in the packed stadium had imagined. Carlos Alcaraz was crowned champion after Jannik Sinner, the world’s top-ranked player, was forced to retire due to illness just 22 minutes into the match. It was a surprising conclusion to what was supposed to be another thrilling chapter in their growing rivalry.
From the very start, things didn’t look right for Sinner. He quickly fell behind 5–0 in the opening set, committing nine unforced errors in that short stretch. Spectators could see the signs of discomfort—he looked pale, and during a changeover, he was seen holding an ice pack against his head. Despite trying to push through, it became clear that his body wouldn’t allow him to continue. The decision to retire was made, leaving Alcaraz as the winner of the tournament in record-short time.
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The timing couldn’t have been more unfortunate for Sinner. He had entered the final on the back of a 12-match winning streak and an impressive run of 26 consecutive victories on hard courts. The Italian had just celebrated his 24th birthday over the weekend and was aiming to become the first player since Roger Federer, back in 2014 and 2015, to defend the Cincinnati Open title successfully. His campaign ended not with a loss in battle, but with a forced withdrawal, and that is always a tough way to close out such a streak.
For Alcaraz, however, the victory still holds weight. Ranked world No. 2, he now improves his head-to-head record against Sinner to 9–5. Their rivalry has defined much of the men’s game in recent years. Just earlier this summer, Sinner had beaten Alcaraz in four sets at Wimbledon, while the Spaniard had taken their battles at both the French Open—where they fought through five intense sets—and the Rome Masters, where Alcaraz won in straights. Each time they meet, tennis fans are treated to a showcase of contrasting styles, and this final was expected to be another classic.
The historical significance of the match isn’t lost either. This was only the third time in history that the top two men’s players had faced off in a Cincinnati Open final. The last time was when Novak Djokovic and Alcaraz met in 2022, and before that it was Federer against Djokovic in 2012. Such matchups always heighten anticipation, which made the abrupt ending even more disappointing for fans.
Still, the Cincinnati Open has often been a springboard into bigger glory. The past two years, the champions here have gone on to lift the trophy at the U.S. Open, the final Grand Slam of the season. With New York just around the corner, all eyes will now be on Alcaraz to see if this victory sets him up for another deep run, and on Sinner to see if he can recover quickly and be ready to compete at full strength.
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