Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have been lighting up the courts this year, their rivalry reaching new heights with the longest final at Roland Garros—an epic five hours and 29 minutes! They’ve clashed three times this season alone—in Rome, Paris, and London—each match adding fuel to their fiery competition. Fans in Cincinnati eagerly awaited the fourth chapter of this thrilling saga, but the plan took a twist when Jannik was forced to retire from the final. Still, his humility captured the crowd’s heart.

On Monday, Sinner faced his toughest opponent but struggled right from the start. The defending champion, who stormed through the tournament without dropping a set, found it hard to keep up with the Spaniard. After falling behind 0-5 in the opening set, Jannik called for the doctor and announced he couldn’t continue. The Cincinnati Open final wrapped up in just 23 minutes. But despite the early exit, his heartfelt message to the fans shone through.

At the trophy ceremony, Jannik Sinner spoke candidly to the crowd and those watching at home. “Usually I start with the opponent but today I have to start with you guys. I’m super, super sorry to disappoint you. From yesterday I didn’t feel great. I thought I would improve during the night,” he said under the sweltering heat. “It came up worse. I tried to come out and make it at least a small match but I couldn’t handle more.”

Jannik entered the tournament fired up to defend last year’s title, though he hit some rough patches along the way. In the semifinal against the determined Terence Atmane, he battled hard in the first set. Sinner stepped up his return game when it counted and closed it out. While not at his absolute best, Jannik won all five matches in straight sets, with his serve broken only three times.

He added, “I’m very, very sorry for all of you. I know some of you on Monday maybe had to work or do something else, so I’m very, very sorry. Of course, Carlos, congrats. Another title. Not the way you wanted to win but it’s amazing what kind of season you’re producing. You and your whole team are doing amazing. Keep it up. I wish you only all the best for the U.S. Open and the rest of the season.”

With this loss, Jannik Sinner’s impressive 26-match winning streak on hard courts comes to an end. Now, he’s focused on a quick recovery before defending his US Open crown. His participation in the mixed doubles with Katerina Siniakova on Tuesday remains uncertain.

On the other hand, this raises concerns for the 12-day Masters schedule that didn’t sit well with most players, including Sinner. But the ATP president wanted to clear the air on it.

Jannik Sinner speaks up over exhausting schedule

Recently, ATP president Andrea Gaudenzi opened up to Bola Amarela about the tennis scheduling storm. He acknowledged the challenges but stood firm on the bigger picture. “The 12-day tournaments add about 15 extra days to the annual calendar but also allow the reinjection of capital into the sport,” Gaudenzi said. He urged players to adjust their schedules, even if it means skipping smaller events or appearance fees, reminding them that tennis offers freedom of choice and responsibility.

However, the player backlash has been sharp and relentless. With the Canadian and Cincinnati Opens extended to 12 days, the familiar Monday-to-Sunday rhythm is broken. Toronto’s final played on a Thursday and Cincinnati’s title match set for a Monday have left players puzzled and drained. Some praise the change as a chance for lower-ranked players to shine, but many top stars remain unconvinced.

In this, Jannik Sinner is among the loudest critics. He’s a huge fan of traditional one-week Masters events, hailing Monte Carlo as a perfect example. “My personal view…I love the one-week events. I love it when you see that the tournament in Monaco, for example, you have for Monte Carlo, you have this one-week event, and you have the first-round matches, which are incredibly good,” Sinner said, painting a vivid picture of tennis’ lost rhythm.

Sinner believes the shorter format holds excitement and clarity, letting fans know exactly when big matches happen: quarterfinals Friday, semis Saturday, and the final Sunday. The new stretched schedule blurs that, testing stamina on both sides. “It’s a question that’s quite irrelevant now to answer because we are in that position,” he admitted, but his tone revealed the frustration simmering through the ATP ranks.

Now with the US Open on the horizon and the mixed doubles starting tomorrow, it’s a wonder how the World No.1 will recover in time to take on his next challenge, where he will once again be the defending champion in the singles tournament. What’s your take? Share it below!