Dismay over moral transgressors: defending titlist prior to the culmination of events in New York
The tennis world is abuzz with anticipation as the US Open tournament kicks off this Sunday. However, the health of one of the top contenders, Jannik Sinner, has become a cause for concern.
Sinner, the world number one tennis player, was forced to withdraw from the US Open mixed competition due to illness. This follows his early retirement from the Cincinnati Masters final against Carlos Alcaraz, where he could only play for 23 minutes due to a high fever and flu-like symptoms. The harsh weather conditions, described as some of the hottest and most humid tournament conditions he had experienced, did not help his cause.
Sinner apologized to the audience for disappointing them with an early retirement and acknowledged needing a couple of days' recovery before the US Open. The demanding back-to-back nature of the hard-court season, including the Cincinnati Masters followed quickly by the US Open, combined with extreme heat, likely contributed to Sinner’s illness and fatigue.
Carlos Alcaraz, on the other hand, remained healthy, advancing with momentum toward major titles. Alcaraz expressed sympathy for Sinner, who had previously defeated him in the Wimbledon final. Alcaraz explained that he did not want to win trophies this way and hoped Sinner would recover soon.
The audience only got to see a mini-final due to Sinner's early retirement, for which they had purchased expensive tickets. Alcaraz wrote "Sorry, Jannik" on the TV camera lens after the match.
Meanwhile, Sinner's rival, Alexander Zverev, also reached his physical limits at a previous tournament, suggesting that the current tennis schedule is taking a toll on players. Zverev had physical problems in Cincinnati, similar to Sinner and Alcaraz.
In Cincinnati, Iga Swiatek won the women's final against Jasmine Paolini, while Alcaraz and Sinner immediately boarded a plane to New York after their respective finals. Sinner, however, needs to recover first before he can take to the court at the US Open.
Despite the setback, Sinner remains optimistic about competing in the US Open singles draw. By early US Open preparations, Sinner reported mostly recovering but not yet at 100%, indicating some residual effects from the virus. The "Sincaraz" rivalry is currently dominant in men's tennis, with the pair having won the last seven Grand Slam titles between them.
The combination of an intense match schedule at Cincinnati, extreme heat, and a viral illness severely impacted Sinner’s health and performance. This incident underscores the physical risks elite players face when competing in closely scheduled high-level tournaments. Alcaraz’s contrasting health and form underscore the fine margins in endurance and recovery among top players at these events.
[1] Tennis.com [2] ESPN [3] BBC Sport [4] Sky Sports [5] The Guardian
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