Jannik Sinner was forced to retire from the Cincinnati final against Carlos Alcaraz due to illness, marking an emotional end to the event.
On Monday, August 18, world No. 1 was seen struggling from the start, as he fell behind 5-0 after just 23 minutes. At the first changeover, Sinner could be seen sitting with ice on his head and, after a short while, called for the trainer.
Following a brief discussion, emotional Sinner apologised to the umpire and officials, sharing he "felt really bad" for the fans.
The Italian and Spanish players shared a hug before Sinner walked out to the middle of the court, raising his hands in apology to the crowd.
As he went to his seat, the world No. 2 quickly joined his rival, putting his arm around him and speaking to him before writing on the camera lens, "Sorry Janik."
This marked Alcaraz's first Cincinnati title and seventh win of the season, which as he emphasised afterwards, was not how he wanted to secure the title.
Addressing Sinner, the 22-year-old noted, "I can't say anything you don't know already. You will come back even stronger like you always do. That's what true champions do and you are one."
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are set to play against each other in the US Open mixed doubles on Tuesday in New York; however, it has not been confirmed if he will skip the game due to his condition.
