Sinner's physical discomfort has been identified and will not affect his participation in the US Open, as the 60-point battle with Alcaraz officially begins.

The championship match in Cincinnati between Sinner and Alcaraz unexpectedly concluded in only 23 minutes, shocking everyone watching.

Compared to the pre-match hype, the game ended up being a letdown, and after it was over, the main concern was whether Sinner would still be able to play in the US Open.

“I tried to hang on, but I could only play for a brief period. I’m really sorry.” Both his helplessness against Alcaraz due to his physical condition and his words after the match suggested Sinner was facing a serious health issue. Otherwise, given the Italian’s usual resilience, he wouldn’t have quit so easily. After all, withdrawing meant giving up his chance to match Federer’s consecutive Cincinnati titles from 2014 and 2015.

After the match, Sinner mentioned during the award ceremony, “This is one of the hottest tournaments I’ve ever played, maybe even the hottest.” This led many to believe his withdrawal wasn’t due to injury. If it was just physical discomfort, there’s still enough time before the US Open for him to recover with rest, so his participation in the singles shouldn’t be affected.

Of course, no one can say for sure whether these assumptions are correct. Only further updates will confirm whether this unexpected retirement will impact Sinner’s title defense at the US Open this year.

As Sinner’s silver Ferrari sped out of the Cincinnati parking lot, the answer soon became clear.

After a medical examination, it was initially diagnosed as acute gastrospasm. Simply put, Sinner suffered from an acute stomach illness, ruling out an injury. The severity of his condition, which forced him to retire, was indeed due to the extreme heat in Cincinnati, as both Sinner and his doctor confirmed: “It was definitely caused by the high temperatures.”

According to foreign media reports on the weather at the time, “Temperatures in Cincinnati soared to 37°C, with the court surface exceeding 50°C.” Sinner was simply unlucky, as the harsh heat overwhelmed him, leading to his early exit and failed title defense.

Before the highly anticipated clash with Alcaraz, Sinner was the favorite. Bookmakers had him at 2.75 odds to win, ahead of Alcaraz’s 3.1.

Additionally, reports say that regular final tickets were reselling for as much as $420 each, as fans wanted to see whether Sinner could tie Federer’s title defense record or if Alcaraz would defy the odds.

Unfortunately, Sinner’s stomach issues struck at the worst possible moment, ruining what everyone most wanted to witness.

Although Alcaraz ultimately took home the trophy, winning under such circumstances diminished the value of his victory. This likely explains why the Spaniard didn’t celebrate and emphasized, “This is not the way I wanted to win.”

Now that Sinner’s health issue has been made public, it’s clear that after some treatment and recovery, his stomach problem won’t prevent him from playing in the US Open. As for why he didn’t force himself to finish the match, Sinner provided the answer everyone was seeking: “I can’t ruin my entire US Open for just one match.”

In other words, Sinner’s withdrawal was a timely decision to minimize losses and safeguard his US Open campaign.

How reluctant was the Italian to make this choice? It’s closely related to the crucial stage he and Alcaraz are in during their 60-point battle!

Last year, Sinner won the US Open while Alcaraz exited in the second round. After both players’ US Open points were deducted, a dramatic twist occurred: Alcaraz overtook Sinner in the live world rankings with 9,540 points to Sinner’s 9,480, seizing the world number one spot by just 60 points.

This puts enormous pressure on Sinner. If he wants to retain his world number one ranking, he cannot afford any mistakes at the US Open. Only by winning two more matches than Alcaraz at Flushing Meadows can Sinner ensure he remains number one; if both exit in the same round, Alcaraz will officially overtake him after the tournament.

Some say that while Sinner’s withdrawal disappointed many, considering the pressure from Alcaraz’s challenge in the rankings, it was a wise move. If he had pushed through and his health worsened, he might have lost his chance at the US Open and watched the world number one slip away.

Seeing the two already locked in a close fight for the top ranking adds even more intrigue to this year’s US Open. Many are eager to find out, in this crucial 60-point battle, which of Sinner or Alcaraz can withstand the pressure and ultimately come out on top!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River Starry Sky)