
Alcaraz claims Cincinnati title
Sinner will now focus on recovery with the US Open starting on Sunday. The Italian was due to take part in the US Open's revamped mixed doubles yesterday, but his partici - pation in that draw is now in serious doubt.
'I'm disappointed, I didn't feel great from yesterday,' Sinner said afterwards. 'During the night, I thought I would recover a bit better, but it was not the case. 'I just tried to go out for the fans, trying to give (them) a match - that's the reason why I went on the court.
'But it was not meant to be for me today. But I don't want to take anything a w a y from Carl o s . H e had a great week, great, great tournament again.'
Sinner said he is now pointing to the final Grand Slam of the season.
'The main focus, obviously, is for the US Open. Recovery is the most important. And then we see,' he said.
Despite the temporary health setback, Sinner is pleased with his showings in 2025.
'I feel like it's an incredible season,' he said. 'We'll keep going, keep pushing. I have some points to improve if I want to go far in US Open.
'It was a good test this week, trying to understand where my level is.'
Sinner lasted for just 22 minutes, calling for the doctor after losing the fifth game and shortly after going to shake hands with Alcaraz.
Alcaraz eyes New York
It was the second match in a row Alcaraz had won over an ailing opponent, following his win over Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals.
Alcaraz won his 22nd career title as he claimed his 17th victory in a row at the Masters 1000 level.
He now leads Sinner 9-5 and lost to the Italian in their last match, the Wimbledon final last month.
'Obviously it's not the way that I wanted to win the final,' the Spaniard said.
'First of all, I just want to wish Jan - nik a speedy recovery. Hopefully in a few days he's going to be okay to prepare and practice well to the US Open.
'For myself, I'm just really, really happy to be able to leave the with trophy, since I just lost that final in 2023 (to Novak Djokovic) I just wanted really, really badly this, this trophy, so I just really proud and happy to be able to lift it.'
Former Open winner Alcaraz, who was upset in the second round a year ago, is looking forward to a more respectable showing in New York.
'I'm feeling a lot of confidence. New York is a place that I love playing...it is where I got my first Grand Slam.
'I appreciate the love and the support that I received there every every year... last year it was disappointing, the level that I played there.
'So this year, I really want to show my really good tennis, my best tennis, try to go as far as I can, enjoy as much as I can.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Tribune
13 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Alcaraz claims Cincinnati title
Carlos Alcaraz won the ATP Cincinnati Open title on Monday after defending champion Jannik Sinner retired due to illness in the first set. World number one Sinner came into the final feeling unwell and lost the first seven points of the match before throwing in the towel at 5-0 down in a game played in 30-degree Celsius heat. Sinner will now focus on recovery with the US Open starting on Sunday. The Italian was due to take part in the US Open's revamped mixed doubles yesterday, but his partici - pation in that draw is now in serious doubt. 'I'm disappointed, I didn't feel great from yesterday,' Sinner said afterwards. 'During the night, I thought I would recover a bit better, but it was not the case. 'I just tried to go out for the fans, trying to give (them) a match - that's the reason why I went on the court. 'But it was not meant to be for me today. But I don't want to take anything a w a y from Carl o s . H e had a great week, great, great tournament again.' Sinner said he is now pointing to the final Grand Slam of the season. 'The main focus, obviously, is for the US Open. Recovery is the most important. And then we see,' he said. Despite the temporary health setback, Sinner is pleased with his showings in 2025. 'I feel like it's an incredible season,' he said. 'We'll keep going, keep pushing. I have some points to improve if I want to go far in US Open. 'It was a good test this week, trying to understand where my level is.' Sinner lasted for just 22 minutes, calling for the doctor after losing the fifth game and shortly after going to shake hands with Alcaraz. Alcaraz eyes New York It was the second match in a row Alcaraz had won over an ailing opponent, following his win over Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals. Alcaraz won his 22nd career title as he claimed his 17th victory in a row at the Masters 1000 level. He now leads Sinner 9-5 and lost to the Italian in their last match, the Wimbledon final last month. 'Obviously it's not the way that I wanted to win the final,' the Spaniard said. 'First of all, I just want to wish Jan - nik a speedy recovery. Hopefully in a few days he's going to be okay to prepare and practice well to the US Open. 'For myself, I'm just really, really happy to be able to leave the with trophy, since I just lost that final in 2023 (to Novak Djokovic) I just wanted really, really badly this, this trophy, so I just really proud and happy to be able to lift it.' Former Open winner Alcaraz, who was upset in the second round a year ago, is looking forward to a more respectable showing in New York. 'I'm feeling a lot of confidence. New York is a place that I love is where I got my first Grand Slam. 'I appreciate the love and the support that I received there every every year... last year it was disappointing, the level that I played there. 'So this year, I really want to show my really good tennis, my best tennis, try to go as far as I can, enjoy as much as I can.'


Daily Tribune
13 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Polish star claims first Cincinnati title and edges closer to Serena's WTA 1000 record
Iga Swiatek filled in a piece of her career tennis puzzle on Monday as she won the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open for the first time with a 7-5, 6-4 defeat of Jasmine Paolini. The final lasting for just under two hours featured 16 breakpoint chances, with the Polish winner converting on six of 10 while Paolini struggled to make the most of her break opportunities. The six-time Grand Slam singles champion's 11th career win at the WTA 1000 level has left her within striking distance of the all-time record of 13 titles held by Serena Williams. Swiatek won the Cincinnati without dropping a set. 'It's always tough in Cincy,' Swiatek told the Tennis Channel after her maiden win in Cincinnati. ' This gives me a boos t of confidence. I'm happy with the work we've been doing. ( The team ) had to convince me to play in a different way. I'm now happy with that process; it all feels even better after the match. I'm glad I finished in straight sets.' The 24-year-old backed up her breakthrough Wimbledon trophy with the Midwest honours and now heads to the last Grand Slam of the season at the US Open with a major confidence boost after the 24th title of her career. S w i a t e k is due to p a r t n e r Norway 's Casper Ruud in the US Open's revamped mixed doubles starting yesterday. The Pole said she is relishing that challenge on the slower courts of Flushing Meadows. 'I'm a good player. I can play on any surface,' she said. 'They are slowing down the courts every year, kind of,so I'm not sure how it is now there. But tennis is all about adjusting.' Swiatek also climbed to within 500 points of current WTA number one Aryna Sabalenka, with the lead at the top of the table likely to be in play at the Open when it begins on Sunday. Swiatek had stalled twice at the last two editions at the semi-final stage and now has only the Canadian tournament where she has not reached the final at a 1000 event. 'Today was tough, we were both tight, but that happens in a final,' Swiatek said. 'I was glad to close it out in the end. 'Not everything was perfect, but mentally I was there to play my best tennis. We did a lot of mental work. I was really composed and consistent about how I thought about my game.' Swiatek began on the wrong foot as she lost serve to trail 0-3. But the situation was only temporary as the former number one immediately began her turnaround. T he Pole answered immediately with two breaks of serve and moved to a 5-3 lead But Paolini earned another break in the 10th game, saving a Swiatek set point to square the final at five-all. Paolini dropped serve for 5-6, giving her opponent the chance to produce a love game and claim the opener 7-5 after just under an hour on court. The second set was a roller coaster, with the pair twice swapping breaks of serve before Swiatek salvaged a pair of break points to lead 5-3 and then serving out the winner two games later.


Daily Tribune
2 days ago
- Daily Tribune
Swiatek, Paolini set for Cincy final
Iga Swiatek reached the final of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open for the first time on Sunday, surging past Elena Rybakina 7-5, 6-3 to book a title clash with Jasmine Paolini. The six-time Grand Slam champion earned a Monday evening final against an opponent with nothing to lose after Paolini managed to 'forget' a patch of bad form to claim a 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-3 win over Russian Veronika Kudermetova. The 29-year-old, who was a two-time Grand Slam finalist in 2024, will bid for the fourth title of her career when she faces Swiatek, who is set to compete in her 13th final at the 1000 level as she closes in on a return to world number two. Swiatek, the reigning Wimbledon champion, recovered an early break in the opening set and powered away to beat 2022 All England winner Rybakina -- who had swept past world number one and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals. The former world number one from Poland now ranked third, had twice stalled at the semi-final stage at the pre-US Open event, bu t booked her title chance on her third opportunity. 'It was a great match, and at the beginning, I was even surprised that I'm able to keep up with the pace, because we played so fast,' Swiatek said. 'I wanted to be there when Elena starts making mistakes. It's impossible to play such a good level throughout the whole match.' Swiatek recovered from 3-5 down in the opening set, sweeping the last four games. She jumped to a 4-1 lead in the second, sandwiching a pair of love service games around a break of Rybakina's serve. But Kazakhstan's Rybakina made her work for it, fending off three break points in the sixth game and saving a pair of match points in the eighth before Swiatek closed it out a game later. 'I was playing with intensity and quality,' Swiatek said. 'I feel good about my game right now and would not change anything.' Swiatek has beaten Paolini in all five of their prior meetings with the Italian winning just one set. But Swiatek said she was prepared for a tough final against a player who beat world number two Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals. 'Anyone who is there will have been playing well,' she said. 'Keep fighting' Before her 6-0, 6-0 Wimbledon final win over Amanda Anisimova last month, Swiatek had been in a trophy drought with her last prior title coming in June 2024 at Roland Garros. Another victory yesterday would be a strong springboard into the US Open, where firstround play starts on August 24. Paolini looked headed to a straight-set victory but failed to serve out her match at 5-4 in the second set and admitted the lapse left her nervous. 'The key was to forget, get back into the fight and stay in the present,' Paolini said after wrapping up the win in two and a quarter hours. 'I was fighting in the second set and all was fine. But I got nervous and thought I would lose the tiebreaker. 'I came back onto court in the third set trying not to think about what had happened. You have to keep going.'