Overview

• Jannik Sinner stopped after about 22 minutes at 0–5 in the Cincinnati final, saying he had felt unwell since the previous day, as Carlos Alcaraz consoled him and wrote “Sorry Jannik” on the TV camera.
• Alcaraz claimed his 22nd tour title after defeating Alexander Zverev in the semifinals, and the updated rankings keep Sinner No. 1 on 11,480 points ahead of Alcaraz on 9,590, with Zverev third on 6,230.
• Sinner said recovery for his US Open title defense is his priority, leaving his Tuesday mixed opener with Katerina Siniakova against Zverev and Belinda Bencic uncertain.
• The US Open has revamped mixed doubles to a two‑day, 16‑team event with shortened sets to four, sudden‑death at deuce, a match tiebreak in set three, and a $1 million winners’ prize, drawing entries like Alcaraz–Emma Raducanu and Iga Swiatek–Casper Ruud.
• Doubles specialists including Laura Siegemund and Martina Navratilova criticize the format for sidelining traditional teams, as player workload concerns persist following heat‑affected matches in Cincinnati, notably Zverev’s labored semifinal.