Jannik Sinner failed to defend the Cincinnati Masters title. The final clash promised another thrilling chapter in his rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz. Instead, it lasted only 23 minutes, with the Italian retiring while trailing 5-0.
World no. 1 gave everything but could not finish the duel, bringing the encounter to an abrupt close. Sinner revealed that he had been feeling unwell since Sunday, hoping the night's rest would help him recover for the title match.
However, his condition only worsened by Monday, and the fact they played at 3 p.mcertainly did not help! Jannik felt sorry for disappointing the crowd that came to watch them on a working day.
The world's best player struggled from the first point of the match, failing to compete at his usual level that made him a player to beat in the previous two years. He was determined to fight until the end, even at a cost of a commanding loss.
He stepped onto the court but quickly realized his body would not allow him to continue, calling for a medical timeout and retiring after speaking with the doctors.
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The Italian left the court heartbroken yet grateful for the fans' support on a difficult day. Sinner will likely withdraw from the US Open mixed doubles event on Tuesday and focus on recovery ahead of the singles duties.
"Usually, I start with the opponent, but today I have to start with you guys. I'm very sorry to disappoint you. Yesterday, I did not feel very well. I thought it would improve overnight. Instead, it got worse.
I tried to go out and play at least a short match, but I could not continue. I'm very sorry for all of you. I know that some of you might have had to work or do something else on Monday, so I am very sorry," Jannik Sinner said.
