When one door closes, another opens—especially in New York! World No.1 Jannik Sinner couldn’t finish his dazzling Cincinnati run or defend his title on Monday. Illness got the best of him in the final against Carlos Alcaraz. Down 0-5, he retired after just 23 minutes, leaving with an apology to fans. The next day, he was set for the US Open mixed doubles, but this challenge was one step too steep for the Italian. Meanwhile, Danielle Collins may have gained the most from this turn of events!

On Tuesday, mixed doubles in New York was set to launch with Sinner teaming up with Katerina Siniakova against Alexander Zverev and Belinda Bencic. But Sinner, still feeling unwell and needing time to recover, had to pull out. His withdrawal opened the door for Collins and Christian Harrison to take their place!

Was it really a surprise? On Monday in Cincinnati, Jannik Sinner barely settled in before things unraveled. Down 0-5 and battling the brutal 30-degree heat, he called the medics and soon retired, handing Alcaraz his maiden Cincinnati trophy. It stung, but Sinner’s heart went out to his supporters. “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. It came up worse. I tried to come out and make it at least a small match but I couldn’t handle more,” he said to his fans.

Shifting from that to New York—no easy feat. The mixed doubles with Siniakova had everyone buzzing, with a cool $1 million prize on the line. The anticipation grew after a twist last week, when Jannik Sinner’s previous partner Emma Navarro pulled out to play in Monterrey. That made his pair with the former doubles World No.1 look even more exciting. The stage was set for big names and high stakes.

Danielle Collins, meanwhile, could bring serious fire to mixed doubles with Harrison. She grabbed her first doubles title at the 2023 Charleston Open with Desirae Krawczyk and powered into the Wimbledon semifinals in 2022. Harrison’s got doubles game too: a US Open mixed doubles semifinalist from the old format, and winner of two ATP doubles titles in 2025 with Evan King in Dallas and Acapulco. Expect this duo to bring some spicy energy and shake things up!

On the other hand, this would have been Sinner’s debut at a mixed doubles event. While he’s competed plenty on the doubles front, reaching a career high ranking of No. 124 and winning one title alongside Reilly Opelka at Atlanta in 2021. But his singles front is still shining at the No.1 spot and his next target will be defending his crown at the US Open.

Jannik Sinner shares thoughts on next Slam amidst health concern

After his match, Sinner didn’t stick around for the official press conference. But before he left, he shared a quick update with the ATP website about what’s next in New York. “Now I have already some points where I need to improve if I want to go far in US Open. And it was a good test this week, trying to understand where my level is,” he said. “My level is, is in a good spot, for sure, but in the other way, there’s still room to improve. So, but yeah, it was, was a great week.” A brief message, but full of promise.

The Cincinnati fortnight threw a lot at Jannik Sinner. He struggled with his first serves against Gabriel Diallo, leading to a late-night practice session. Then came the relentless Ohio heat, over 30 degrees Celsius, that took its toll on many players, including him. Rain wasn’t kind either, with two-hour delays disrupting his rhythm against Adrian Mannarino. Despite it all, Sinner showed why he’s No.1, cruising through every match without dropping a set until the final.

Heading into New York City for the US Open, Sinner is fighting the flu, but his spirit is strong. “I love Grand Slams a lot. This is the main, main tournaments for, for my season and, you know, for my career. So US Open is going to be tough tournament, but in the same time, I’m looking forward to it. If I’m ready, physically and mentally, I’m, I will be ready to push,” he said with determination.

This season’s Grand Slam journey hasn’t been smooth for him. At the Australian Open, Jannik Sinner faced a looming ban of up to two years by WADA over a doping controversy. After returning from a three-month suspension, he lost a heartbreaking final to Carlos Alcaraz, despite leading by two sets and holding three championship points. Wimbledon was no easier—he fell in the round of 16 against Grigor Dimitrov, forced to retire after a pectoral tear. Though he claimed the Sw19 title, his elbow was cause for concern.

Now, all eyes are on him to see if he can bounce back and defend his title, aiming for a fifth Grand Slam. What do you think? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!