Carlos Alcaraz claimed his first Cincinnati Open crown after rival Jannik Sinner retired just 23 minutes into Monday’s final. Jasmine Paolini lost a hard-fought contest in the women’s final, falling to Iga Swiatek.
Sinner, the defending champion, looked unwell in the heat. He trailed 0-5 in the opening set before calling the doctor.
Unable to continue, the World No. 1 apologised to fans. His 26-match hard-court winning streak ended with the retirement.
Alcaraz lifted his sixth trophy of 2025 and his 22nd career title. He now leads Sinner by 1,890 points in the ATP Live Race to Turin.
“It’s not the way I want to win trophies,” Alcaraz told Sinner. “You are a true champion. Come back stronger.”
The Spaniard, 22, also secured his eighth Masters 1000 crown, more than any other active player except Novak Djokovic.
Alcaraz owns 54 wins this season, the most on Tour. He heads to the US Open with a narrow ranking advantage over Sinner.
Their rivalry has defined the year, with finals in Rome, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and now Cincinnati. Alcaraz leads their head-to-head 9-5.
Paolini still looking for breakthrough win
On the women’s side, Iga Swiatek defeated Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 7-5, 6-4 to secure her first Cincinnati Open title.
The Polish No. 3 seed trailed 0-3 early but recovered strongly. She converted all six break points to close the match.
Swiatek’s victory gave her a 24th WTA trophy and 11th WTA 1000 title. Only Serena Williams owns more at this level.
“It’s a shock, but I’m super happy,” Swiatek said. She praised her coach Wim Fissette for adapting her game to faster courts.
The win lifts her back to World No. 2. She avoids meeting Aryna Sabalenka before the US Open final.
Swiatek is the first Polish player to win in Cincinnati. The triumph strengthens her credentials on hard courts ahead of New York.
