Cincinnati final expert picks: Sinner vs. Alcaraz

Expert picks are back for the blockbuster Cincinnati men’s singles final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz on Monday afternoon. A three-team panel makes its predictions for the must-watch showdown.

Ricky: Sinner vs. Alcaraz is by far the best rivalry in tennis and right now it’s even one of the best rivalries in sports. We get to see Chapter 14 in the Cincinnati title match on Monday afternoon. Alcaraz leads the head-to-head series 8-5 and has won five of the last six, but Sinner halted his losing streak in relatively convincing fashion at Wimbledon. The Italian really should be on a two-match streak of his own, as he infamously had triple-championship point at Roland Garros. More importantly, Sinner has looked far superior in Cincy. Alcaraz can always flip a switch when necessary, and I think he will–which is why he can keep it competitive…but probably can’t win it outright. This should be another good one, but I think Sinner can finish the job before it goes to a final set–which is always a good idea when Alcaraz is on the other side of the net. The world No. 1 and defending champion will likely be too rock-solid in the pressure-packed moments. Sinner in 2: 7-6(4), 7-5.

Cheryl: This is the first time I’ve previewed a Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz match where I’ve felt confident in my pick. Most of the time when the two best players in the world run into each other, it’s a tossup. I discuss the matchup, which favors Alcaraz. Or I talk about the surface (hard courts are a tick in the Sinner “for” column). But tennis is a situational sport. And the situation at the moment is that Alcaraz isn’t playing very well in Cincinnati. He’s in the final, yes. But that reality is due to a combination of force of will and the intimidation edge that top players enjoy even when they’re stinking up the place. Well, and the fact that Alexander Zverev was so sick in their semifinal that he could hardly move. That didn’t stop Alcaraz from donating four double-faults in a single game on Saturday, though. Chalk it up to the inevitable Wimbledon Disappointment Hangover. Sinner, conversely, is a machine…a machine that apparently doesn’t suffer from the dreaded Disappointment Hangover, since he dropped a heartbreaker to Alcaraz in Paris and rebounded at the All-England Club a few weeks later. The Italian hasn’t lost a set all tournament long and looks poised to pocket his first Masters title of the year (his two titles are the Australian Open and Wimbledon). Yes, tennis is situational. And yes, anything can happen. But barring a shock reversal of form, this one goes to Sinner. Sinner in 2: 6-4, 6-3.

Pete (Tennis Acumen): Sinner and Alcaraz meet yet again, for the 10th time in two and a half years and for the fifth consecutive time in a final. With their stranglehold on the top two spots in the ATP rankings, this is where we will continue to see them clash as they continued yuto breeze past the rest of the field en route to the final. Sinner finally ended a run of five straight wins by Alcaraz in this series when he won at Wimbledon last month. Alcaraz dropped a couple of sets on his way to the Cincy final, whereas Sinner was unscathed. This series is gradually starting to resemble the legendary Martina Navratilova-Chris Evert rivalry. The ladies would often roll through the draw with an occasional challenge along the way. Then when they eventually met in the final (they played 29 consecutive Finals and 60 overall finals), Navratilova won more often on grass, Evert owned the clay courts, and the hard courts were a bit of a mixed bag–with the victor usually having more momentum at the time of the match. That said, Sinner is enjoying more consistent play right now and as a result should win this match. Appendix A: Darren Cahill found solutions in this matchup and implemented them into the game-plan at Wimbledon and continues to outfox Juan Carlos Ferrero. It’s fascinating chess from the players and coaches, and it will continue to be on display in the Cincinnati final. Sinner in 3: 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.