ATP and WTA Winners and Losers of 2025 Cincinnati Open including Alcaraz, Swiatek, Atmane, Raducanu and Pegula

The 2025 Cincinnati Open was defined by both brilliance and misfortune, with Carlos Alcaraz emerging as the men’s champion under unusual circumstances. In the final, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner was forced to retire after just 23 minutes of play, trailing 0–5, due to illness. It was one of the shortest finals in ATP Masters 1000 history and left the crowd stunned. Alcaraz, showing class, rushed to comfort Sinner as he conceded the match, later calling it “the toughest way to win a title”.

For Alcaraz, the victory was historic, nonetheless. At just 22 years old, he claimed his eighth Masters 1000 trophy and 22nd ATP title overall, making him the youngest Cincinnati champion since Andy Murray in 2008. His path to the final was strong, with straight set wins over Andrey Rublev and Alexander Zverev, and a gritty showing against Hamad Medjedovic. His semifinal against Zverev in particular was a high-level contest until the German faded in the oppressive conditions.

Sinner, meanwhile, arrived in the final looking untouchable. He had not dropped a set all week and lost only 30 games in five matches, including a straightforward 6–2, 6–2 demolition of Taylor Fritz in the semifinal. His Cincinnati campaign extended an extraordinary run of form that included a 26-match winning streak on hard courts dating back months. But illness struck on the eve of the final, and despite trying to compete, he was forced to quit early, an abrupt reminder of the physical demands of the sport.

The tournament was played in brutally hot and humid conditions, which became a story in itself. Temperatures reached 36 °C with humidity near 70%, and multiple players visibly struggled. Arthur Rinderknech collapsed mid-match and had to retire. Daniil Medvedev required treatment in his opener against Adam Walton, while Zverev looked dizzy during his semi-final loss to Alcaraz. Even seasoned pros commented that conditions bordered on unsafe.

Underperformance was another theme in Cincinnati. Frances Tiafoe, a seeded player, retired in the fourth round. Cameron Norrie, Casper Ruud, and Tommy Paul all bowed out earlier than expected. Medvedev, a three-time Grand Slam champion, once again disappointed in Masters play, failing to find rhythm on hard courts that once defined his dominance. Arthur Fils withdrew, while Jakub Menšík and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina both retired during their matches. For fans, the high number of retirements reflected both the intensity of the weather and lingering fragility among several top 20 names.

On the opposite side of the draw, Terence Atmane provided the biggest Cinderella run of the tournament. The 22-year-old French qualifier became the first qualifier since Alexandr Dolgopolov in 2015 to reach the semifinals in Cincinnati. Ranked No. 136 before the tournament, his run will launch him into the top 70 and establish him as a dangerous floater in the upcoming US Open. His upset wins included knocking out higher-ranked opponents with fearless shot-making, making him one of the event’s most celebrated breakthroughs.

The women’s event also produced a clear winner. World No. 1 Iga Świątek captured the title without dropping a set, defeating Jasmine Paolini 7–5, 6–4 in the final. For Paolini, it was a historic moment as the first Italian woman to ever reach a Cincinnati Open final, while Świątek added her 11th WTA 1000 crown to an already dominant resume.

Several top women underperformed, including Aryna Sabalenka, the defending champion and world No. 1, who lost in the quarterfinals to Elena Rybakina, dropping 785 ranking points and narrowing her lead over Coco Gauff. Gauff herself exited in the quarterfinals, struggling with a high double-fault count of 9.2 per match. Jessica Pegula and Amanda Anisimova were eliminated in the third round, while Madison Keys, Emma Raducanu, Karolína Muchová, Liudmila Samsonova, Daria Kasatkina, and Belinda Bencic all fell in early rounds. Even veterans like Elina Svitolina were ousted in the second round

In sum, the Cincinnati Open highlighted the fine margins that define tennis. Alcaraz strengthened his claim as the next great hard-court champion, while Sinner’s brilliance was undercut by cruel timing. The heat exposed vulnerabilities in even the toughest competitors, and underperformances by seasoned names contrasted sharply with Atmane’s breakthrough. Together, these threads created a tournament remembered not only for its champion but for its extremes of endurance, fortune, and resilience.