![\"Alcaraz](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/tennis2_1752144549434_1752144572333.jpg\" "\\"Alcaraz")
Alcaraz to face defending champ Sinner in Cincinnati ATP final <\/p>\nWorld number one Jannik Sinner and hot rival Carlos Alcaraz will face off in a major final for the fourth time this season after both booked straight-set wins into the title match at the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open on Saturday. <\/p>\n
Alcaraz to face defending champ Sinner in Cincinnati ATP final <\/p>\n
Defending champion Sinner ruthlessly subdued 136th-ranked qualifier Terence Atmane 7-6 , 6-2 while Spanish second seed Alcaraz defeated an ailing Alexander Zverev, who was suffering badly from the 32 Celsius heat and humidity, by 6-4, 6-3. <\/p>\n
Alcaraz and Sinner have played for trophies this season in Rome, Roland Garros and Wimbledon, with the Italian winning their most recent at the All England Club last month. <\/p>\n
Sinner, celebrating his 24th birthday, ended Frenchman Atmane’s dream run and will now try to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2014-15 to win back-to-back titles in Cincinnati. <\/p>\n
Sinner, tuning up for the US Open in his first tournament since winning Wimbledon, hasn’t dropped a set en route to the final. <\/p>\n
“It’s a very, very tough challenge every time you play a new opponent,” Sinner said. “In the later stages of the tournament,the pressure is on, they deserve to be there.” <\/p>\n
Alcaraz will also be playing in his second Cincy final after losing to Novak Djokovic in 2023. <\/p>\n
The Spaniard increased his ATP season match win lead to 53 in a year of five titles. <\/p>\n
Alcaraz broke Zverev once in the opening set to claim it before the German, who is diabetic, began feeling poorly and took a medical timeout off court after the third game of the second set. <\/p>\n
Zverev, who has retired in only two matches since 2014, came back out to finish what was a patchy match from Alcaraz, who double-faulted for times in the second game of the second set but won the last 12 points with Zverev running on fumes. <\/p>\n
“We started well with good rallies, a good level,” Alcaraz said. “All of a sudden he felt bad and I was thinking more about how he was feeling instead of playing good tennis. <\/p>\n
“It was tough and I just wish him all the best.” <\/p>\n
Alcaraz said he is keen to try and take his Wimbledon revenge on Sinner in the unorthodox Monday final. <\/p>\n
“We always bring our best tennis. We raise each other’s level. I’m ready to take the challenge,” Alcaraz said. <\/p>\n
“I will try and adjust my game better and correct what I did wrong in our last match. I want to be ready with my 100%. Mentally I’ll be ready I’m excited for Monday.”<\/p>\n
Atmane gave birthday boy Sinner a Pokemon card shortly before they went on court, but he was in a less giving mood once they were underway. <\/p>\n
But Sinner surrendered just three points in his first six service games as they went to the tiebreaker with neither man facing a break point. <\/p>\n
Atmane double faulted on the first point of the decider and Sinner was away, powering to a 5-2 lead and pocketing the set at his second opportunity. <\/p>\n
“My experience helped in the first set,” he said. “I’m very happy to go through to another final. <\/p>\n
“I tried to focus on myself, how I usually play, and then try to adapt a little bit to his game style,” Sinner said. “And that’s exactly what I did today. <\/p>\n
“The pressure was on me. That’s normal in the position where I am in he was ready to fight.” <\/p>\n
“My goal has always been the US Open, But we have put in the work here, in the gym and in practice. I just hope to be ready for New York.” <\/p>\n
Sinner showed a first sign of vulnerability as he needed five game points to hold serve in the opening game of the second set. <\/p>\n
But that was the closest look Atmane got at his serve, and Sinner broke the Frenchman for a 3-1 lead and again to seal the match. <\/p>\n
Atmane, who is projected to crack the top 70 in the world rankings, became Sinner’s 22nd straight French victim since May 2021, when he lost to Arthur Rinderknech in Lyon. <\/p>\n
str\/js <\/p>\n
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