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Jannik Sinner’s US Open defence under threat after shock Cincinnati retirement vs Carlos Alcaraz
Jannik Sinner retired ill in the Cincinnati Open semifinal against Carlos Alcaraz, ending his streaks and raising doubts over his US Open title defense.
What was anticipated to be a classic battle between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, given their recent encounters, ended prematurely in the Cincinnati Open semifinal with Sinner’s shock retirement midway through the opening set. With a short turnaround before the US Open, where he will be defending his crown, the incident in Ohio has cast major doubt on his fitness and availability for the season’s final Grand Slam.
Despite having the form and the odds in his favour, Sinner visibly struggled from the outset and was broken three times in the opening set. Following the third break of serve, he called for medical assistance and, shortly after, retired while trailing 0-5.
The world No. 1 told officials, "I feel really bad, I feel so sorry for the fans," before shaking hands with Alcaraz to confirm his decision. The withdrawal brought an abrupt end to Sinner's 26-match winning streak on hard courts, which began during his triumphant run at the Shanghai Masters last October. It also snapped his current streak of 12 consecutive victories, which included his Grand Slam triumph at Wimbledon.
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In the wake of his shock exit, Sinner is expected to pull out of the two-day US Open mixed doubles campaign, beginning Tuesday in New York, where he was set to partner 10-time doubles Grand Slam winner Kateřina Siniaková. However, the major question now looms over his participation in the men’s singles at Flushing Meadows.
Will Sinner be ready for the US Open?
In all likelihood, Sinner should still be ready to defend his crown when the main draw begins this Sunday in New York, given that his retirement was due to illness rather than injury.
The soaring temperatures in Ohio over the past week left many players struggling, with 11 announcing withdrawals and several others falling ill. Sinner may have been hit by a similar issue. Former Grand Slam doubles champion Ryan Harrison remains confident about his chances of recovery ahead of the major.
"He will be straight to the doctors. It's not something I would be overly worried about, given that the US Open is two weeks off and you get a day off after each match," Harrison said on Sky Sports Tennis. "By the time he recovers this week and gets through the opening match, then in 10 days he will be fully recovered at the latter stages."
If fit, Sinner will undoubtedly be the favourite, alongside Alcaraz, for the final Grand Slam of the year.
The US Open draw will be announced on Thursday.
