Defending champion Jannik Sinner celebrated his 24th birthday by reaching the final of the Cincinnati Open, where he will face world number one Carlos Alcaraz.
Sinner beat Terence Atmane in straight sets, 7-6, 6-2, earning his 200th career win on a hard court and his 26th straight victory on the surface.
Alcaraz booked his spot in the final by defeating Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-3. Zverev appeared to be struggling physically during the second set and was in clear discomfort, but he managed to finish the match. Alcaraz later wrote on the camera lens: “Happy for the final but feeling bad for Sasha. Wish you all the best.”
This will be the fourth meeting this season between Sinner and Alcaraz. Alcaraz won the first two, one in Rome and another in the French Open final, while Sinner won the most recent, beating Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final.
Alcaraz has now reached seven consecutive tour-level finals.
Speaking after his match, Sinner said: “It was a very tough challenge. Facing someone new in the later stages of a tournament is never easy. He deserved to be there and had some great wins. I had to stay sharp, but I think I handled everything well.”
The final takes place on Monday and will be shown live on Sky Sports. It also serves as a key warm-up for the US Open, which begins on August 24.
