Cincinnati Open: Alcaraz Reaches Seventh Straight Final, to Face Sinner

Carlos Alcaraz maintained his red-hot form by reaching his seventh consecutive ATP final, defeating an injury-hit Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-3 in the Cincinnati Open semifinals on Saturday.

The Spaniard will now face Jannik Sinner in what promises to be another blockbuster clash, their fourth final meeting this season after Rome, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

Alcaraz dictated the semifinal early, targeting Zverev’s forehand with heavy cross-court shots and forcing the German into defensive positions. After breaking at 2-3 in the first set, the Spaniard never looked back, despite briefly faltering with three consecutive double faults in the second.

Zverev, who hurt himself during his quarterfinal against Ben Shelton, required a medical timeout at 2-1 in the second set and struggled to compete at full intensity thereafter.

Following his win, Alcaraz expressed sympathy for his opponent, writing on a courtside camera: “Happy for the final but feeling bad for Sascha. Wish you all the best.”

In his on-court remarks, the 22-year-old admitted it was hard to stay focused:

“It’s never easy playing against someone you know is not feeling 100 per cent. With Sascha it’s even tougher, because he’s such a great player and a great person off the court. We have a really good relationship. I just wish him all the best.”

The victory takes Alcaraz into his ninth Masters 1000 final—and his first on hard courts since winning Indian Wells in 2023. He is also 16-0 in Masters 1000 events this year, lifting titles in Monte Carlo and Rome. At 22 years and three months, he becomes the third-youngest player to reach nine Masters finals, behind Rafael Nadal (20) and Novak Djokovic (21).