Carlos Alcaraz beat Jannik Sinner 5-0 retired in the Cincinnati final, 2025 on hard court
It was Alcaraz’ first title at the event. Sinner had been the defending champion. The two had recently played the Wimbledon final (Sinner winning) and would soon after play the US Open final (Alcaraz winning)
Alcaraz won 21 points, Sinner 8
Serve Stats
Alcaraz...
- 1st serve percentage (6/13) 46%
- 1st serve points won (5/6) 83%
- 2nd serve points won (4/7) 57%
- Aces 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (5/13) 38%
Sinner...
- 1st serve percentage (8/16) 50%
- 1st serve points won (4/8) 50%
- 2nd serve points won (0/8) 0%
- Aces 1
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (3/16) 19%
Serve Pattern
Alcaraz served...
- to FH 46%
- to BH 54%
Sinner served...
- to FH 43%
- to BH 57%
Return Stats
Alcaraz made...
- 11 (6 FH, 5 BH)
- 2 Errors, comprising...
- 1 Unforced (1 BH)
- 1 Forced (1 BH)
- Return Rate (11/14) 79%
Sinner made...
- 8 (4 FH, 4 BH)
- 1 Winner (1 FH)
- 4 Errors, comprising...
- 1 Unforced (1 BH)
- 3 Forced (1 FH, 2 BH)
- Return Rate (8/13) 62%
Break Points
Alcaraz 3/6 (3 games)
Sinner 0
Winners (including returns, excluding aces)
Alcaraz 1 (1 FH)
Sinner 3 (3 FH)
Alcaraz' FH - 1 drop shot
Sinner's FHs - 1 cc/inside-in, 2 inside-in (1 return)
Errors (excluding returns and serves)
Alcaraz 2
- 1 Unforced (1 BH)
- 1 Forced (1 FH)
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 40
Sinner 13
- 10 Unforced (6 FH, 3 BH, 1 FHV)... the FHV was a non-net shot
- 3 Forced (3 FH)
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45
(Note 1: all half-volleys refer to such shots played at net. Half -volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke counts)
(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)
Net Points & Serve-Volley
Alcaraz 0
Sinner 0
Match Report
Surprisingly good tennis, given the circumstances. Alcaraz with some very good deep returns, Sinner over-eager in blazing groundstrokes that are good until they land out. And Sinner retires with illness before too long
Sinner’s broken twice before the first change over. Serve quality is fine and within his norm. He’s a little slow. And he strains for power on his groundies, especially haymaker FHs
If you didn’t know when/how the match ended, wouldn’t say there was anything flagrantly wrong with him. Could be a slow or off start. He seems healthier than Novak Djokovic did at the start (and well beyond the start) of the ‘23 final, which is reputed to be a classic, great match
He is off in next 2 games. Doesn’t move his feet much or resist strong shots, including of the return. Loses those games too
And calls it a match at change-over after that. Chair tells crowd the retirement is due to “illness”.
Few points of statistical interest
- both players with low in counts (Alcs 46%, Sinner 50%)
- all the winners are FHs (Alcs 1, Sinner 3)
- 0 net points in the match. Never seen that before and there are couple of other similar length match like Paris ‘90 and Miami ‘96 finals, which lasted 6 games and 3 games respectively
- ‘perfect’ 0/8 second serve points won by Sinner
Sinner with 10 UEs is standout of match, 6 of them FHs. Contextualizing -
- both players combined have 8 unreturned serves
- both players combined have 4 winners
- both players combined have 4 FEs
- Alcs has 1 UE
Couple of them are against troublingly deep balls, with potential to draw weak shot, and would be difficult ot hit a strong one off. More than that, he looks to pointedly overpower with the FH and blazes shots off that wing. Off the BH too, but he leads with FHs which is normal enough for a desperate player
His FH also has 3/4 winners of the match, including a return. Those blazing shots coming off
Alcs’ only winner is a drop shot that Sinner makes no effort to retrieve
Before Sinner’s blazing lands out, Alcs has a workout handling the pace. Makes couple good gets and doesn’t get beaten down much. And the power of those shots are enough to beat down. Power is beyond even Sinner’s norm, which is itself enough to push back most players, though probably not Alcs
For Alcs, some excellent, deep returns near the baseline. Against normal quality serves, so good stuff
Love break by Alcs to start and its very good game, all FH errors by Sinner in it
1/2 UEs is against a deep ball and not too easy and the other starts with a return to the baseline
And FEs - 1 drawn by another return to baseline, the other by BH dtl
Takes Alcs 8 points to consolidate, with Sinner blazing powerful shots - and missing them too. Couple of returns to the baseline by Sinner too and couple of overpowering wining FHs (an inside-in return winner and error forcing wide FH cc). Also 4 UEs by him (2 of each wing)
Similar game after that. Another huge FH cc has Sinner in winning position but he misses easy FHV from no-man’s land, he big cuts a third ball FH winner and misses an effort power FH
Also double faults to start the game and on third break point, Alcs uncleanly guides a FH inside-in return that Sinner’s a bit slow to reach and can’t handle
After starting game 4 with another blazing FH winner, Sinner goes off. Misses next 4 returns. Good serves, including a second, but his feet aren’t working
Another winning deep return by Alcs to start game 5, another blazing FH miss by Sinner, and when Alcs brings out a typical drop shot, Sinner just turns his back and gets ready for next point. He double faults to gives up the break and 5-0
And that’s that. At changeover, Sinner talks with trainers rather than gets treatment and quits
Summing up, no match to speak of and given that, good action
Alcaraz with some excellent deep returns. Sinner looking to rip the fluff of the ball, which allows opponent room to showcase good shot resistance, before those big shots land out
It was Alcaraz’ first title at the event. Sinner had been the defending champion. The two had recently played the Wimbledon final (Sinner winning) and would soon after play the US Open final (Alcaraz winning)
Alcaraz won 21 points, Sinner 8
Serve Stats
Alcaraz...
- 1st serve percentage (6/13) 46%
- 1st serve points won (5/6) 83%
- 2nd serve points won (4/7) 57%
- Aces 1
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (5/13) 38%
Sinner...
- 1st serve percentage (8/16) 50%
- 1st serve points won (4/8) 50%
- 2nd serve points won (0/8) 0%
- Aces 1
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (3/16) 19%
Serve Pattern
Alcaraz served...
- to FH 46%
- to BH 54%
Sinner served...
- to FH 43%
- to BH 57%
Return Stats
Alcaraz made...
- 11 (6 FH, 5 BH)
- 2 Errors, comprising...
- 1 Unforced (1 BH)
- 1 Forced (1 BH)
- Return Rate (11/14) 79%
Sinner made...
- 8 (4 FH, 4 BH)
- 1 Winner (1 FH)
- 4 Errors, comprising...
- 1 Unforced (1 BH)
- 3 Forced (1 FH, 2 BH)
- Return Rate (8/13) 62%
Break Points
Alcaraz 3/6 (3 games)
Sinner 0
Winners (including returns, excluding aces)
Alcaraz 1 (1 FH)
Sinner 3 (3 FH)
Alcaraz' FH - 1 drop shot
Sinner's FHs - 1 cc/inside-in, 2 inside-in (1 return)
Errors (excluding returns and serves)
Alcaraz 2
- 1 Unforced (1 BH)
- 1 Forced (1 FH)
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 40
Sinner 13
- 10 Unforced (6 FH, 3 BH, 1 FHV)... the FHV was a non-net shot
- 3 Forced (3 FH)
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 45
(Note 1: all half-volleys refer to such shots played at net. Half -volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke counts)
(Note 2: the Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)
Net Points & Serve-Volley
Alcaraz 0
Sinner 0
Match Report
Surprisingly good tennis, given the circumstances. Alcaraz with some very good deep returns, Sinner over-eager in blazing groundstrokes that are good until they land out. And Sinner retires with illness before too long
Sinner’s broken twice before the first change over. Serve quality is fine and within his norm. He’s a little slow. And he strains for power on his groundies, especially haymaker FHs
If you didn’t know when/how the match ended, wouldn’t say there was anything flagrantly wrong with him. Could be a slow or off start. He seems healthier than Novak Djokovic did at the start (and well beyond the start) of the ‘23 final, which is reputed to be a classic, great match
He is off in next 2 games. Doesn’t move his feet much or resist strong shots, including of the return. Loses those games too
And calls it a match at change-over after that. Chair tells crowd the retirement is due to “illness”.
Few points of statistical interest
- both players with low in counts (Alcs 46%, Sinner 50%)
- all the winners are FHs (Alcs 1, Sinner 3)
- 0 net points in the match. Never seen that before and there are couple of other similar length match like Paris ‘90 and Miami ‘96 finals, which lasted 6 games and 3 games respectively
- ‘perfect’ 0/8 second serve points won by Sinner
Sinner with 10 UEs is standout of match, 6 of them FHs. Contextualizing -
- both players combined have 8 unreturned serves
- both players combined have 4 winners
- both players combined have 4 FEs
- Alcs has 1 UE
Couple of them are against troublingly deep balls, with potential to draw weak shot, and would be difficult ot hit a strong one off. More than that, he looks to pointedly overpower with the FH and blazes shots off that wing. Off the BH too, but he leads with FHs which is normal enough for a desperate player
His FH also has 3/4 winners of the match, including a return. Those blazing shots coming off
Alcs’ only winner is a drop shot that Sinner makes no effort to retrieve
Before Sinner’s blazing lands out, Alcs has a workout handling the pace. Makes couple good gets and doesn’t get beaten down much. And the power of those shots are enough to beat down. Power is beyond even Sinner’s norm, which is itself enough to push back most players, though probably not Alcs
For Alcs, some excellent, deep returns near the baseline. Against normal quality serves, so good stuff
Love break by Alcs to start and its very good game, all FH errors by Sinner in it
1/2 UEs is against a deep ball and not too easy and the other starts with a return to the baseline
And FEs - 1 drawn by another return to baseline, the other by BH dtl
Takes Alcs 8 points to consolidate, with Sinner blazing powerful shots - and missing them too. Couple of returns to the baseline by Sinner too and couple of overpowering wining FHs (an inside-in return winner and error forcing wide FH cc). Also 4 UEs by him (2 of each wing)
Similar game after that. Another huge FH cc has Sinner in winning position but he misses easy FHV from no-man’s land, he big cuts a third ball FH winner and misses an effort power FH
Also double faults to start the game and on third break point, Alcs uncleanly guides a FH inside-in return that Sinner’s a bit slow to reach and can’t handle
After starting game 4 with another blazing FH winner, Sinner goes off. Misses next 4 returns. Good serves, including a second, but his feet aren’t working
Another winning deep return by Alcs to start game 5, another blazing FH miss by Sinner, and when Alcs brings out a typical drop shot, Sinner just turns his back and gets ready for next point. He double faults to gives up the break and 5-0
And that’s that. At changeover, Sinner talks with trainers rather than gets treatment and quits
Summing up, no match to speak of and given that, good action
Alcaraz with some excellent deep returns. Sinner looking to rip the fluff of the ball, which allows opponent room to showcase good shot resistance, before those big shots land out
