"He wanted to play this final for honor," says former Italian player commenting on Sinner's withdrawal in Cincinnati

On Sky Sport, former professional player Raffaella Reggi commented on the withdrawal of her compatriot Jannik Sinner in the Cincinnati final. Sinner, suffering from a virus, retired at 0-5 in the first set against the Spaniard Alcaraz.

"From the very first points, I had the feeling that Jannik wasn't there, although before making any statements, I preferred to wait for explanations from his team. Otherwise, I think he wanted to play this final for honor. Maybe he shouldn't have done it, but I understand him. He was still very clear-headed in his words during the award ceremony.

Regarding the withdrawal from mixed doubles, it was obvious. Now, we hope that in a few days, he will be fully recovered for the US Open. The first two rounds will be the ones to watch, as there will inevitably be an adaptation phase on the court. After that, it will be easier to get a clearer picture."

For reference, Raffaella Reggi played professionally for nearly a decade (1981-1992). Ranked 13th in the world at her peak, the Italian also made her mark in mixed doubles with her victory alongside Sergio Casal against the pair Navratilova-Fleming at the US Open in 1986.