World No. 1 Jannik Sinner’s preparations for the US Open suffered a major blow after he retired ill during his Cincinnati Open semifinal against Carlos Alcaraz. The highly anticipated clash ended abruptly with Sinner trailing 0-5 in the opening set, raising concerns over his readiness to defend his Grand Slam crown in New York.

Match Ends in Shock Exit

Sinner, who had been enjoying a dominant run on hard courts, looked out of sorts from the start. He dropped serve three times before calling for medical help and eventually conceding the match. Apologising to fans, he told officials, “I feel really bad, I feel so sorry for the fans,” before shaking hands with Alcaraz.

The retirement ended his remarkable 26-match winning streak on hard courts, dating back to his Shanghai Masters triumph last October, as well as his current run of 12 straight victories, which included his recent Wimbledon title.

US Open Participation Uncertain

Following the withdrawal, Sinner is likely to skip the upcoming US Open mixed doubles event, where he was set to pair with Kateřina Siniaková. The bigger concern remains his participation in the men’s singles draw, with the tournament starting Sunday.

Reports suggest the issue was illness rather than injury, offering some optimism. The extreme heat in Ohio has already forced multiple players to pull out, and Sinner may have suffered similar heat-related fatigue.

Optimism Around Recovery

Former doubles champion Ryan Harrison believes Sinner still has time to recover. “It’s not something I would be overly worried about, given that the US Open is two weeks away. He should be fine once he gets through the early rounds,” Harrison said on Sky Sports Tennis.

If fit, Sinner will enter the US Open as one of the top contenders alongside Alcaraz. The men’s singles draw will be revealed on Thursday.

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