Jannik appeared drained of energy against Alcaraz. He had been feeling unwell since the day before. The virus hypothesis and the heat factor

Pale face, weakened physique, slow movements, and no responsiveness. This is how Jannik Sinner appeared yesterday in the Cincinnati final against Alcaraz. His body language spoke for itself: the world number one was not in a condition to take to the court. He retired after 23 minutes, down 5-0 in the first set, whispering to the ATP medical staff: “I’m in too much pain, I can’t move.” But what happened to Jannik? We are in the realm of speculation and rumors, since the player himself, in his post-match comments, did not want to go into details, saying only: “I’ve been feeling ill since yesterday, I was hoping to improve overnight, but my condition worsened.”

With mechanical problems and food poisoning ruled out, it is likely that it was a virus. On court, Sinner appeared drained of energy, listless, knocked out by an unwanted guest. Today he will undergo further tests, then rest for a couple of days. The causes are unknown. The extreme conditions in Cincinnati will certainly have played a part. “It was one of the hottest tournaments we’ve ever played, maybe the hottest ever,” Sinner said during the award ceremony. The temperature swings between the air conditioning in the player lounge and the humid heat on the courts are a key factor. This is also because the players have been at the renovated Cincinnati facility for two weeks, following the tournament’s upgrade to 12 days. This factor has been deadly. And, if it really was a virus, it is likely that Jannik was infected by one of the athletes present in Ohio, given the long series of illnesses and withdrawals during the tournament. Sinner has already reached New York on a private flight. He will rest completely and, of course, will not play mixed doubles today. The USTA is waiting for Jannik’s withdrawal to be made official before announcing the name of the player who will partner Siniakova.