Sinner retires from Cincinnati final against Alcaraz with illness

Six days before Jannik Sinner, who was emotional, had a bad illness that prevented him from winning the US Open title.

World No. 1 Sinner lost 5-0 after 23 minutes on another hot day after being out of sorts right away with the first point of the highly anticipated showpiece.

After going a double break down, he called the trainer after losing another two games and sat with ice on his head during the first changeover.

After a brief conversation, Sinner apologized to the officials and the umpire, growing teary as he explained to them that he “felt really bad” for the fans.

The Italian embraced Alcaraz, walked out of the court, raised his hands in protest of the crowd, then sat down, covered his head, and hid his head in his towel.

Sinner expressed his disappointment with the audience, “I’m so sorry. I thought I would improve but after yesterday, I didn’t feel great.

I made an effort to come out, at least to make it a small match, but I was unable to get any further.

“I apologize a lot to everyone. I’m so sorry, because I’m aware that some of you had to work or do something else on Monday.

Alcaraz won his seventh overall championship in Cincinnati, which is his first since then, but as he later admitted, he didn’t want to win.

You don’t know anything, I can’t say. Alcaraz told Sinner, “You will come back even stronger than you always do.”

“You are one of the true champions,” they say.

The US Open mixed doubles on Tuesday in New York will feature Iga Swiatek, Alcaraz, and women’s finalist Iga Swiatek, but it’s unlikely that Sinner will join Katerina Siniakova as planned.

Sinner can find some consolation in the knowledge that illness, not injury, kept him from completing the match despite his obvious disappointment.

Before the final, he had not lost a set in Cincinnati and was on a 26-match winning streak on hard courts.

Regardless of the defeat, Sinner will continue to be world number one, but Alcaraz is on pace to take the top spot and will continue to be Sinner’s biggest rival for the US Open title.

Sinner is defending more ranking points than Alcaraz, who lost in the second round last year, and the pair can only compete in the final in New York.

Alcaraz won twice on clay in their previous meeting at Wimbledon, and Sinner won once more in their previous final. This was the pair’s fourth meeting of the year.

Sinner’s lack of movement and early attempts to escape trouble, however, gave the impression that something was wrong.

Alcaraz made just one unforced error from Sinner’s nine, scoring 21 of the 29 points on offer.