Carlos Alcaraz claimed his sixth title of 2025 at the Cincinnati Masters 1000, after Jannik Sinner retired during the final. The Spanish player was leading 5-0 in the first set when Sinner decided to stop due to illness.
Sinner, the current world No. 1, looked out of form from the start. He committed 10 unforced errors and lost three service games within 22 minutes. It was his first retirement in over two years.
Speaking to the crowd, Sinner said, “I wasn’t feeling well since yesterday. I hoped to recover overnight, but I couldn’t. I gave it a try but couldn’t continue.”
The Italian had shown excellent form all week, winning every match in straight sets, including victories over Adrian Mannarino and Terence Atmane. His sudden withdrawal left fans disappointed and concerned.
Alcaraz showed great sportsmanship. After the match, he approached Sinner with kind words and later wrote “Sorry Jannik” on a TV camera. He said, “This has been the hottest tournament we’ve played.” Extreme weather had impacted several players throughout the week.
Despite some early struggles in the tournament, including a tough match against Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals, Alcaraz stayed strong. This win is his 22nd career title, and eighth Masters 1000 trophy.
Sinner’s retirement marked the first time since 2014 that a Masters 1000 final ended this way. While the final was short, the result added another chapter to the growing rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner. The Spaniard now leads their head-to-head 9-5.
Looking ahead, Alcaraz heads into the US Open with confidence. Sinner, on the other hand, will need to recover quickly to be fully prepared for the season’s final Grand Slam.
