Cincinnati Masters
Mboko, Osaka Cincy pullouts the worst-kept secrets
Naomi Osaka and Victoria Mboko came good on hints they would skip this week’s Cincinnati Masters, with the finalist and winner at the just-concluded WTA event in Montreal tournament pulling the plug on Friday.
Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, merely blamed “scheduling issues” for her decision, while the teenaged Mboko was actually suffering in Canada with a right wrist problem.
“I woke up this morning, and I actually had my wrist a little bit swollen from yesterday’s (semi-final) fall,” she said after her three-set finals win over Japan’s Osaka.
“We quickly went to the hospital for an MRI and an X-ray before I came
to the courts to practice. But we got the green light that nothing too serious was going on in the wrist.”
A Cincinnati start already looked dead in the water. “I’m not planning on playing Cincinnati at the moment. I just want to take care of my wrist a little bit right now,” she said.
“It’s just very close and sudden for me to go there and play again in like, two days.
“I think I’m just going to sit out on that one and prepare for the upcoming tournaments.”
Osaka also did little to hide her decision to skip Cincy “It’s going to be really interesting to go to Cincinnati. I don’t know. I feel like I’m a little teeter-tottering.
“It’s going to be interesting to see, yeah, what my next match is and how I’m going to play.”
Carlos Alcaraz could miss the entire grass season if a worst-case scenario on his wrist injury comes into play.
The Spaniard has already withdrawn from title defences on clay at Rome and Roland Garros after injuring the wrist this month in Barcelona.
But latest reports from Spain indicate that the world No. 2 could possibly not be back until the start of the US Open run-up next August, possibly at the Cincinnati Masters.
Rome’s La Gazzetta dello Sport broke the bad news on the fitness state of Alcaraz, winner of the last two French Open editions. The paper reported there was no chance for the player to compete either at Queen’s club, London, or Wimbledon, which begins in late June.
Main photo:- Carlos Alcaraz reached Wimbledon final 2025 – by Roger Parker ISF Ltd
World No. 2 Jannik Sinner became the youngest man to complete the full set of hard-court victories by beating Daniil Medvedev 7-6 (8) 7-6 (7) in the searing heat of Indian Wells.
The 24 year old Italian, didn’t face a break point during the final nor did he drop a set on his way to claiming his first title of the year and his 25th overall.
Sinner has won both hard court Grand Slams, with victories at the Australian Open in 2024 and 2025 and at the US Open in 2024.
In addition he has lifted all six Masters 1000 series hard court titles – adding the Indian Wells title to victories in Miami, Toronto, Cincinnati, Shanghai and Paris plus the season-ending ATP Finals.
Only Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer have achieved the same feat.
Main photo:- Jannik Sinner lifts Indian Wells Trophy – by ATPTour.com
Felix Auger-Aliassime bounced back after a slow start, with the Canadian raiding his game along with his expectations on Wednesday at the ATP Dubai event.
The top seed survived the loss of his opening serve to prevail 6-4, 6-4 over France’s Giovanni Mpetschi Perricard.
Victory marked the 10th quarter-final or higher at 11 tournament for FAA dating to Cincinnati last August.
The seed’s game is on the mend after a hiccup in the form of an Australian Open first-round loss, with FAA winning the Montpellier title and reaching this month’s Rotterdam final against Alex de Minaur.
Auger-Aliassime said that he tries to set an example to his team by way of keeping his tennis standards high.
“I’m responsible, I’m the one stepping onto the court – I’m the (support) team leader.
“I need to uphold the standards I want for my career.”
The winner who broke three times, said the ball reacted differently as he played for the first time in the afternoon.
“I couldn’t find my serve in the first few games, I needed to get some rhythm. he also made it difficult for me. I’m glad I was able to find a way back into the set.
The Canadian No. 1 improved his record against French opponents to 15-1 since the start of 2025.
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