Defending Champion Sinner Earns Seventh Straight Cincinnati Open Victory

Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner (photo: ATP Tour video)

CINCINNATI/WASHINGTON, August 12, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

Defending champion and No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner came into his Cincinnati Open third-round match against No. 30 seed Gabriel Diallo on an eight-match winning streak after winning his second title of the season at the Wimbledon Championships last month, then breezing through a 59-minute opening-round win over 144th-ranked qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan of Colombia on Saturday.

By the end of Monday evening, despite playing through a power surge, which knocked out the LED light displays on both baseboards and the sideboards late in the first set, then enduring an audible fire alarm that lasted for the entire second game of the second set, Sinner’s current winning streak increased to nine matches following his 6-2, 7-6 (6), victory in one hour and 52 minutes on P&G Center Court. He’s also won seven straight Cincinnati Open matches dating back to his championship run last year.

Sinner (28-3 in 2025) has been nothing short of impressive in compiling a 23-match winning streak on hard courts – 10th longest hard-court winning streak this century – and already has qualified for his fourth Nitto ATP Finals.

In facing the 35th-ranked Diallo (23-17), who looked to become the fourth Canadian to defeat a reigning World No. 1 in ATP Rankings history, Sinner improved to 46-0 against players ranked outside the Top 20 on hard courts over the past two years, since losing to Dusan Lajovic of Serbia in Cincinnati back in 2023. He struck 21 winners – including 10 from his forehand side – and won 81 percent of his first-serve points. Sinner converted three of 12 break points, was broken just once and he outpointed Diallo 84-62. During the second-set tie-break, Sinner saved a set point, down 5-6, with a service return that handcuffed the young Canadian.

“I felt like today was a very difficult day at the office,” Sinner said during his on-court interview with ATP Media. “He was serving very, very well, especially in the second set. Against a big serve, you always have to find the right balance in the back of the court. Today, I felt like I struggled at times, but I’m still very happy. I need tough matches, getting used to difficult situations. I’m very happy this happened before a Grand Slam, no? Hopefully, through these situations, I can keep on focusing on the main goal here in the U.S. … I’m happy to be into the next round.”

Despite starting their third-round match 50 minutes late due to an earlier power outage that suspended play for 75 minutes, Sinner went to work and broke Diallo three times in the first set. He won six straight games to close out the opening set after falling behind 0-2, eventually taking advantage of eight double faults by Diallo, who finished the match with a career-high 10 double faults.

Next, Sinner will face 89th-ranked qualifier Adrian Mannarino of France, who upset No. 13 seed Tommy Paul of the United States, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, in two hours and 39 minutes on the Grandstand. Mannarino converted three of eight break points and outpointed Paul 103-100. It was Mannarino’s second-straight win over Paul in an ATP Masters 1000 event following Paris last year.

Fritz overcomes power outage, Sonego

No. 4 seed Taylor Fritz of the United States claimed his ATP Tour-leading 21st match win since June with his 7-6 (4), 7-5 victory over No. 31 seed Lorenzo Sonego to improve his head-to-head to 6-2 against the 36th-ranked Italian. The match was interrupted for 75 minutes between the first and second sets due to a power outage across the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, that affected play on all courts. Play was suspended at 5:23 p.m. local time and resumed at 6:38 p.m.

Fritz, who has compiled a win-loss record of 38-14 this season and won two grass-court titles at Stuttgart and Eastbourne – struck 26 winners,  including 13 aces, and won 86 percent of his first-serve points. He dropped just five points on his first serve and faced no break points. Fritz converted one of three break-point chances against Sonego – in the second-to-last game of the match – and outpointed his opponent 80-69. The loss prevented Sonego (16-20) from achieving his third win against a Top-5 opponent.

“I was looking for the break the entire match today,” Fritz said during his on-court interview with ATP Media afterward. “I didn’t all of a sudden get it. I tried harder in the end. I wish I could have gotten it done the first couple of chances I had, but there’s a lot of scoreboard pressure at the end of the set. So, that’s why a lot of times I’m finding that break. It was tough, my serve was in trouble at 4-5 (0-30). Getting out of that game was huge. I played some really good points in the 5-all game just to get the break.”

Fritz was asked how he rode out the downtime during the power outage. “I just chilled in the locker room,” he said. “I tried to hydrate and cool off. Not too much strategy or anything going on. I felt like I was doing fine. I wasn’t like super happy with how I played in the first set but I was still able to win it. I knew I needed to keep doing what I was doing and do a little bit better and I would be fine.”

A two-time Cincinnati quarterfinalist (2022-23), Fritz is just a win away from another last eight appearance in the Queen City. In the fourth round on Wednesday, he will face 136th-ranked qualifier Terence Atmane of France, who upset No. 52 Joao Fonseca of Brazil, 6-3, 6-4, in 78 minutes on Court 3. Atmane hit 28 winners and converted three of 13 break points against Fonseca. He outpointed his opponent 69-55.

Around the Cincinnati Open

• No. 7 seed Holger Rune of Denmark, who earned his 50th ATP Masters 1000 victory earlier in the tournament, won his 99th career hard-court match with his 7-6 (4), 6-3 triumph over No. 28 seed Alex Michelsen of the United States in one hour and 33 minutes on the Grandstand.

Rune hit 19 winners overall – including nine aces – and won 82 percent of his first-serve points. He converted one of two break-point opportunities and outpointed Michelsen 68-61 to move into the fourth round against No. 10 seed Frances Tiafoe of the United States, who eliminated No. 20 seed Ugo Humbert of France, 6-4, 6-4, in one hour and 23 minutes. Tiafoe, who trailed 1-4 in the opening set, rallied to win in straight sets. Tiafoe’s seventh-shot backhand winner on his second match-point opportunity put away the third-round victory. It will be a rematch of their 2024 Cincinnati semifinal, won by Tiafoe.

“I was playing in extremely warm conditions. It was tough out there. But I think managed well,” Rune said during his on-court interview with ATP Media. “I think I had more control on my balls today. … I feel much better today.”

Rune, who currently sits at No. 12 on the PIF ATP Live Rankings, needs to reach at least the semifinals this week to avoid exiting the Top 10 for the first time since winning the Barcelona title last April against Carlos Alcaraz.

• No. 23 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada advanced to the fourth round after his opponent, No. 70 Arthur Rinderknech of France, was forced to retire in the second set. The 28th-ranked Auger-Aliassime was ahead 7-6 (4), 4-2 after two hours and one minute on Champions’ Court. At 2-all in the second set, Rinderknech fainted on court due to excessive heat – where the temperature reached 32º Celsius (89º Fahrenheit) by mid afternoon – and required medical attention. He played on for two more games before retiring. Auger-Aliassime was ahead on total points 72-59.

Next, Auger-Aliassime will play No. 63 Benjamin Bonzi of France, who upset No. 25 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-4, in two hours and 39 minutes on Court 3. Bonzi withstood 14 aces and 39 overall winners from the 29th-ranked Tsitsipas, while also taking advantage of 43 unforced errors committed by the Greek star. Bonzi countered with 27 winners and outpointed Tsitsipas 110-101 en route to earning his fifth win against a Top-30 opponent this season. It’s also Bonzi’s first time to reach the round of 16 at an ATP Masters 1000 event.

Monday’s Cincinnati Open results

Tuesday’s Cincinnati Open order of play

By the numbers

World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz leads the ATP Tour this season in wins (49) and titles (5). He is chasing after his third consecutive ATP Masters 1000 title after wins earlier this year in Monte-Carlo and Rome.

“Quotable …”

“It was just a rollercoaster. Lots of good feelings, bad feelings, back to the good ones. All I can say is I am happy to get the win at the end and just have another chance to be better. I will try tomorrow to have my confidence back because today it was a little bit tricky. Damir plays really smart tennis, which I have to be focused and ready for that. I have a rest day tomorrrow, to give myself the confidence back and hopefully be better in the next round.”

– World No. 2 and second seed Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, during his on-court interview following his opening-round 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 win over Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia-Herzegovina on Sunday.

 

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