Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are set to reunite in yet another ATP Tour final as they meet in the Cincinnati Open final.
Sinner beat Terence Atmane 7-6(7-4), 6-2 in their semifinal, with Alcaraz defeating Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-3 at the same stage of the ATP Masters 1000 event.
The final represents a repeat of last month’s Wimbledon final, in which Sinner overcame Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
The duo have met 13 times on the ATP Tour, with the Spaniard boasting eight wins compared to the Italian’s five ahead of their Cincinnati Open final.
It is, however, Sinner who currently occupies first place in the world rankings, closely followed by Alcaraz in second.
What Jannik Sinner wants to happen in his Cincinnati Open final against Carlos Alcaraz
And the world number one took time to discuss his next opponent in his semifinal press conference in Cincinnati, just ahead of Alcaraz’s semifinal win over Zverev.
He said: “If it’s Carlos, I know him better. We played recently quite a lot now, so it’s going to be a very, very difficult match.
“But hopefully it’s going to be, in any case, a good match. Hopefully it’s a very high-level match. That’s what for us players is important, but also for the people who are watching.”
Jannik Sinner says what he thinks of Terence Atmane after their Cincinnati Open semifinal
Sinner really doesn’t need to worry for the fans, who are very likely set to take in another thriller between him and Alcaraz.
Their meetings are rarely tedious, as typified by their unforgettable French Open final thriller earlier this season.
And while their dominance in men’s tennis is under no real threat, Sinner has backed his most recent opponent for a very bright future.
He said of Atmane: “Yeah, it was a very nice exchange. We didn’t know each other at all, so he gave me as it’s my birthday today, a Pokemon card, which was very nice from him. It was a nice moment to share with him before a match.
“He’s an incredible player. He showed this not only today, but throughout the whole tournament here. He has huge, huge potential and I wish him only the best obviously.”
Atmane can hold his head extremely high after a stunning venture at the Cincinnati Open, which was ended only by the top seed.
The Frenchman, currently ranked 136th in the world, defeated the likes of Taylor Fritz, Holger Rune and Flavio Cobolli in his phenomenal run.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
