Cincinnati
Sinner claims his quickest victory of 2025 in Cincinnati

Defending champion next faces Diallo

August 09, 2025

Dylan Buell/Getty Images

Jannik Sinner beats Daniel Elahi Galan in 59 minutes on Saturday in Cincinnati.
By Jerome Coombe

Jannik Sinner returned to ATP Tour action in imposing form on Saturday at the Cincinnati Open, where he kickstarted his title defence by recording his quickest victory of the season.

Competing for the first time since defeating rival Carlos Alcaraz to win his maiden Wimbledon title last month, the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings delivered a ruthless display to defeat Daniel Elahi Galan 6-1, 6-1 and reach the third round in just 59 minutes.

“Matches are always more different than practice sessions, so I didn’t know exactly what to expect today,” Sinner said after improving to 3-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with Galan. “But I’m very happy. It’s not easy to play here, the ball is flying. You have to serve very precisely, but also with good pace if you want to go far in the tournament.”

Despite sporting a sleeve on his right arm, which he has worn since suffering a scary fall in the fourth round at Wimbledon last month, Sinner struck with conviction upon return to Cincinnati. The 23-year-old Italian hit seven winners to five unforced errors and dropped just one of 13 first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, in a lights-out opening set.

During the second set, Sinner then began to add flair to his trademark baseline consistency, highlighted by an exquisitely disguised drop shot in the third game before closing out the match with authority.

“Today I felt like I was serving in the spots I wanted,” added Sinner. “There is still room to improve, but as a first-round match, I couldn’t have wished [for more]. I am very happy to be back here, the crowd is amazing.”

By improving to 38-0 against players outside the Top 50 since Cincinnati in 2023, Sinner extended his winning streak on hard courts to 22 matches. This run, which began after his championship-match loss to Alcaraz in Beijing last September, includes triumphs at the US Open, Nitto ATP Finals and Australian Open.

It All Adds Up

Having both qualified for the season finale, Sinner and Alcaraz will compete in a thrilling battle for ATP Year-End No. 1 honours presented by PIF over the remaining months of the year. Alcaraz, who plays in Cincinnati on Sunday, currently holds a 1,500-point lead over Sinner in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.

Next up in Sinner’s quest at the transformed ATP Masters 1000 in Cincinnati is Canada’s Gabriel Diallo. Sinner is aiming to become the first man to successfully defend the title since Roger Federer in 2014-15.

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