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Japan Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- Japan Today
Alcaraz to face defending champ Sinner in Cincinnati ATP final
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz defeated Germany's Alexander Zverev to reach Monday's ATP Cincinnati Open final, where he will face defending champion Jannik Sinner of Italy tennis World number one Jannik Sinner and hot rival Carlos Alcaraz will face off in a major final for the fourth time this season after both booked straight-set wins into the title match at the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open on Saturday. Defending champion Sinner ruthlessly subdued 136th-ranked qualifier Terence Atmane 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 while Spanish second seed Alcaraz defeated an ailing Alexander Zverev, who was suffering badly from the 32 Celsius heat and humidity, by 6-4, 6-3. Alcaraz and Sinner have played for trophies this season in Rome, Roland Garros and Wimbledon, with the Italian winning their most recent at the All England Club last month. Sinner, celebrating his 24th birthday, ended Frenchman Atmane's dream run and will now try to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2014-15 to win back-to-back titles in Cincinnati. Sinner, tuning up for the U.S. Open in his first tournament since winning Wimbledon, hasn't dropped a set en route to the final. "It's a very, very tough challenge every time you play a new opponent," Sinner said. "In the later stages of the tournament, the pressure is on, they deserve to be there." Alcaraz will also be playing in his second Cincy final after losing to Novak Djokovic in 2023. The Spaniard increased his ATP season match win lead to 53 in a year of five titles. Alcaraz broke Zverev once in the opening set to claim it before the German, who is diabetic, began feeling poorly and took a medical timeout off court after the third game of the second set. Zverev, who has retired in only two matches since 2014, came back out to finish what was a patchy match from Alcaraz, who double-faulted for times in the second game of the second set but won the last 12 points with Zverev running on fumes. "We started well with good rallies, a good level," Alcaraz said. "All of a sudden he felt bad and I was thinking more about how he was feeling instead of playing good tennis. It was tough and I just wish him all the best." Alcaraz said he is keen to try and take his Wimbledon revenge on Sinner in the unorthodox Monday final. "We always bring our best tennis. We raise each other's level. I'm ready to take the challenge," Alcaraz said. "I will try and adjust my game better and correct what I did wrong in our last match. I want to be ready with my 100%. Mentally I'll be ready -- I'm excited for Monday." Atmane gave birthday boy Sinner a Pokemon card shortly before they went on court, but he was in a less giving mood once they were underway. But Sinner surrendered just three points in his first six service games as they went to the tiebreaker with neither man facing a break point. Atmane double faulted on the first point of the decider and Sinner was away, powering to a 5-2 lead and pocketing the set at his second opportunity. "My experience helped in the first set," he said. "I'm very happy to go through to another final. "I tried to focus on myself, how I usually play, and then try to adapt a little bit to his game style," Sinner said. "And that's exactly what I did today. "The pressure was on me. That's normal in the position where I am in -- he was ready to fight." "My goal has always been the US Open, But we have put in the work here, in the gym and in practice. I just hope to be ready for New York." Sinner showed a first sign of vulnerability as he needed five game points to hold serve in the opening game of the second set. But that was the closest look Atmane got at his serve, and Sinner broke the Frenchman for a 3-1 lead and again to seal the match. Atmane, who is projected to crack the top 70 in the world rankings, became Sinner's 22nd straight French victim since May 2021, when he lost to Arthur Rinderknech in Lyon. © 2025 AFP
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Cincinnati Open 2025: Rybakina beats Sabalenka to set up semifinal against Swiatek
Elena Rybakina defeated top seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-1, 6-4 on Friday to knock the defending champion out in the quarterfinals of the WTA and ATP Cincinnati Open. Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon winner, claimed a fifth victory in her 12-match personal rivalry with the world number one. The victory was revenge for a loss to Sabalenka on Berlin grass two months ago. Rybakina will play in a semifinal against Iga Swiatek, who defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 6-4. Third-seeded reigning Wimbledon champion Swiatek dominated to break fresh ground at one of the only two 1000-level tournament where she has failed to reach a final Rybakina was helped by 11 aces as she upset Sabalenka to achieve her first Cincinnati semi-final. 'I'm happy with the serve. It was the key today. I served really well,' Rybakina said. 'If she had been serving well, it would have been a totally different match. It was also intense from the baseline. I just hope to continue like this,' she added. Rybakina has won her last three matches against Swiatek, all played this season. ALSO READ | ITIA suspends Japanese player for 10 months under Tennis Anti-Doping Programme The Kazakh held her nerve in the second set as Sabalenka delivered a pair of love games, with Rybakina saving a pair of break points with aces to lead by a set and 5-3. Swiatek needed 93 minutes and five match points to get past Kalinskaya and earn revenge for a loss she took in February 2024 in a Dubai semifinal. The former world number one finally moved into the Cincinnati final four on a steamy day after the 34th-ranked Kalinskaya saved four match points in the penultimate game. But third seed Swiatek, enduring 30 Celsius temperatures, finally prevailed to advance to her fourth 1000-level semi-final of the season. 'We need to get used to the heat with how the world is changing,' the winner of six Grand Slams said. 'It's getting worse and worse, I guess.' Swiatek, who broke on three of 11 chances in the match, said the contest was 'much different' from her loss last season against Kalinskaya. 'I just played my game. It was not easy but I'm happy that I stayed solid and kept my intensity,' she said. Swiatek heads into the semifinals with 47 wins and the Wimbledon title in hand this season.
Japan Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- Japan Today
Rybakina beats No.1 Sabalenka to book Cincinnati semi with Swiatek
Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan defeated world num ber one Aryna Sabalenka to reach the semi-finals of the WTA Cincinnati Open tennis Elena Rybakina defeated top seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-1, 6-4 on Friday to knock the defending champion out in the quarterfinals of the WTA and ATP Cincinnati Open. Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon winner, claimed a fifth victory in her 12-match personal rivalry with the world number one. The victory was revenge for a loss to Sabalenka on Berlin grass two months ago. Rybakina will play in a semifinal against Iga Swiatek, who defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 6-4. Third-seeded reigning Wimbledon champion Swiatek dominated to break fresh ground at one of the only two 1000-level tournament where she has failed to reach a final Rybakina was helped by 11 aces as she upset Sabalenka to achieve her first Cincinnati semi-final. "I'm happy with the serve. It was the key today," Rybakina said. "I served really well. "If she had been serving well it would have been a totally different match. It was also intense from the baseline. I just hope to continue like this." Rybakina has won her last three matches against Swiatek, all played this season. The Kazakh held her nerve in the second set as Sabalenka delivered a pair of love games, with Rybakina saving a pair of break points with aces to lead by a set and 5-3. Swiatek needed 93 minutes and five match points to get past Kalinskaya and earn revenge for a loss she took in February 2024 in a Dubai semi-final. The former world number one finally moved into the Cincinnati final four on a steamy day after the 34th-ranked Kalinskaya saved four match points in the penultimate game. But third seed Swiatek, enduring 30 Celsius temperatures, finally prevailed to advance to her fourth 1000-level semi-final of the season. "We need to get used to the heat with how the world is changing," the winner of six Grand Slams said. "It's getting worse and worse, I guess." Swiatek, who broke on three of 11 chances in the match, said the contest was "much different" from her loss last season against Kalinskaya. "I just played my game. It was not easy but I'm happy that I stayed solid and kept my intensity," she said. Swiatek heads into the semifinals with 47 wins and the Wimbledon title in hand this season. © 2025 AFP
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Rybakina rips No.1 Sabalenka to book Cincinnati semi with Swiatek
Elena Rybakina defeated top seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-1, 6-4 on Friday to knock the defending champion out in the quarter-finals of the WTA and ATP Cincinnati Open. HT Image Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon winner, claimed a fifth victory in her 12-match personal rivalry with the world number one. The victory was revenge for a loss to Sabalenka on Berlin grass two months ago. Rybakina will play in a semi-final against Iga Swiatek, who defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 6-4. Third-seeded reigning Wimbledon champion Swiatek dominated to break fresh ground at one of the only two 1000-level tournament where she has failed to reach a final Rybakina was helped by 11 aces as she upset Sabalenka to achieve her first Cincinnati semi-final. "I'm happy with the serve. It was the key today," Rybakina said. "I served really well. "If she had been serving well it would have been a totally different match. It was also intense from the baseline. I just hope to continue like this." Rybakina has won her last three matches against Swiatek, all played this season. The Kazakh held her nerve in the second set as Sabalenka delivered a pair of love games, with Rybakina saving a pair of break points with aces to lead by a set and 5-3. Swiatek needed 93 minutes and five match points to get past Kalinskaya and earn revenge for a loss she took in February 2024 in a Dubai semi-final. The former world number one finally moved into the Cincinnati final four on a steamy day after the 34th-ranked Kalinskaya saved four match points in the penultimate game. But third seed Swiatek, enduring 30 Celsius temperatures, finally prevailed to advance to her fourth 1000-level semi-final of the season. "We need to get used to the heat with how the world is changing," the winner of six Grand Slams said. "It's getting worse and worse, I guess." Swiatek, who broke on three of 11 chances in the match, said the contest was "much different" from her loss last season against Kalinskaya. "I just played my game. It was not easy but I'm happy that I stayed solid and kept my intensity," she said. Swiatek heads into the semi-finals with 47 wins and the Wimbledon title in hand this season. str/js This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
