After both missing the 'Canadian Open' in Toronto, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are ready to return to action at the Cincinnati Masters 1000. The top two players in the ATP rankings who have shared the last seven Grand Slam tournaments played will make their debut in Ohio directly in the second round and there is no shortage of insides along their run.
The Italian ace will play his first match on Saturday 9 August and will be called upon to defend his title in this tournament, 1000 points that can be decisive results in the fight for the first position in the ATP ranking. The 23-year-old from Sesto Pusteria who won his first Wimbledon title last month will have to defend 2000 points at the US Open, while his top rival was eliminated in the second round in both Cincinnati and New York last season.
The 22-year-old Spaniard knows he has a real chance to return to the top of the ATP rankings before the end of this year, but he will have to avoid those drops that have often affected him in the second half of the season. In 2024, the star from Murcia lifted only one trophy after the Wimbledon Championships (the Beijing ATP 500) suffering numerous defeats against opponents of lower rank than her.
Sinner and Alcaraz stars in Cincy
During a long interview with 'Il Messaggero', former ATP ace Renzo Furlan who was also Jasmine Paolini's coach expressed his sincere opinion on this interesting duopoly: "Jannik and Carlos are undoubtedly the absolute best at the moment, they express a level that is higher than that of the rest of the players.
Sinner is more consistent throughout the season and his performances are always of high quality, which is why I consider him the favorite to end the year as number 1. Alcaraz on the other hand has a more spectacular game and is more prone to ups and downs. We'll see if he has metabolized the defeat in the Wimbledon final."
The five-time Grand Slam champion will make his debut in Cincinnati on Sunday, August 10 against Bellucci or Dzumhur.
