India, Aug. 19 -- Carlos Alcaraz captured his maiden Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati on Monday after Jannik Sinner was forced to retire just 22 minutes into the final at the P&G Centre Court. The Italian shocked fans when he conceded the contest due to illness during the opening set.

The highly anticipated showdown was their fourth clash of the season-all in tour-level finals-and their first meeting since the Wimbledon semifinal in early July. But the spectacle ended abruptly as Sinner, who had looked unbeatable all week, appeared visibly unwell from the outset.

The 23-year-old lost the first seven points and soon called for a medical timeout after being broken for the third time. While struggling to catch his breath, he confessed to t...