After his four-set loss to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon final, Carlos Alcaraz showed remarkable composure and readiness as he arrived at the Cincinnati Open. The Spaniard, who had maintained an unblemished 5-0 record in major finals including consecutive Wimbledon titles in 2023 and 2024, explained how he quickly regained his equilibrium.

“I obviously didn’t want to lose any finals that I play, even more if it’s a Wimbledon final or a Grand Slam final,” said Alcaraz. “I left the court happy. I left the court proud. I left the court smiling, just thinking, ‘Ok, at some point, I have to lose a Grand Slam final. Everyone does.’ I’m just proud.”

He added that his recovery took “hours, not even days,” emphasizing gratitude for his achievements and the experience of reaching a Wimbledon final, despite the setback. Alcaraz’s approach underscores a maturity beyond his 22 years, as he transitioned swiftly from a brief summer break into preparing for the upcoming US Open season.

Alcaraz’s summer vacation involved completely stepping away from training and the gym, preferring rest over exercise. “For myself, when I’m off, I’m off,” he said with a smile. He recounted how he chose sleep over keeping up with friends’ morning runs, simply waiting for them with breakfast.

Having skipped the National Bank Open in Toronto, Alcaraz enters Cincinnati refreshed and eager to capture a Masters title that has eluded him so far. His near-miss in Cincinnati last year saw him lose a memorable final to Novak Djokovic.

His burgeoning rivalry with Sinner remains one of the key narratives in men’s tennis. The pair have shared the last seven trophies almost evenly, with Sinner holding a slight edge in recent Grand Slam finals. Alcaraz leads their overall head-to-head 8-5 but acknowledges the significance of their contest.

“I’m really happy to be building such a great rivalry against Jannik,” he said. “Jannik and I, we’ve done great things in tennis already in such a short period. I let the people talk about our rivalry or the things we have done for the history books. I’m thinking about the history we’re making in tennis, but I think we have such long careers ahead, just to see how far we can go. If we already made history in tennis or not, that’s just for the people to discuss.”

Venus Williams’ return to the WTA Tour at the Cincinnati Open marks her second event after a 16-month hiatus. Despite extensive media attention focused on her age, 45, Williams insists that age has never dictated her performance or goals. “I feel great,” she said before the tournament began. “You’re never too young or too old to win or to lose. Winning and losing knows no age.”

Williams’ career began at age 14, a memory she fondly recalls alongside a Rolling Stones concert playing nearby. “They didn’t know I was playing next door,” she said. “So, Mick Jagger, my message to you is that I was playing my first professional match next to you.”

Her absence from the tour has been due to health challenges, not age. In 2024, she underwent surgery for uterine fibroids and quietly fell off the rankings. Yet her commitment to tennis remained steady during her recovery. “I felt like I had time just to get well,” Williams explained. “When I was on the court, I was always working on my game. Even if it was just a half hour, I still wanted to get something out of it.”

Her recent return at the Mubadala Citi DC Open saw Williams secure her first singles win since 2023, defeating Peyton Stearns in straight sets. She became the oldest woman to win a match on tour since Martina Navratilova two decades ago and also advanced in doubles with Hailey Baptiste. She credits love as the sustaining force behind her comeback. “Love is the key, right? If you don’t love it, then get out of it if you can, if you have that luxury,” she said.

Williams’ philosophy centers on living life on her own terms, unapologetically and without regrets. “Your terms should be yours. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says or thinks. I do what I do because I want to live life the way I want to, unapologetically, with no regrets, on my terms,” she shared. “Do my terms always come out the way I want them to? No. But at least I tried to live on my own terms, and that’s super important to me.”

Looking ahead, Williams plans to compete through the US Open, remaining noncommittal about extending her return beyond 2025. “I’m very much in the moment. I don’t think you should ever rule me out. That’s all I can say.”

The draws for the 2025 Cincinnati Open have been released, showcasing defending champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka as the top seeds in the men’s and women’s singles events. Sinner, 23, who claimed his first Cincinnati title in 2024 and went on to win the US Open that year, currently holds three Grand Slam titles, including the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2025. After a first-round bye, Sinner will open his campaign against either Vit Kopriva or a qualifier/lucky loser. His section of the draw includes notable opponents such as Gabriel Diallo (No. 30 seed) and Tommy Paul (No. 13 seed), with potential matches against Lorenzo Musetti (No. 6 seed) in the quarterfinals and Taylor Fritz (No. 4 seed) in the semifinals.

In the opposite half of the men’s draw is the No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning Roland Garros champion who lost his Wimbledon title to Sinner last month. Alcaraz seeks his first Cincinnati title and will face either Mattia Bellucci or Damir Dzumhur in his opening round. His projected path to the final includes Tallon Griekspoor (No. 26), Jakub Mensik (No. 16), Alex de Minaur (No. 6), and Alexander Zverev (No. 3). American Ben Shelton, seeded fifth, is also in the bottom half, facing either Camilo Ugo Carabelli or Kei Nishikori in round one.

On the women’s side, defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will start her title defense against either Marketa Vondrousova or Jaqueline Cristian. A possible third-round rematch with Emma Raducanu (No. 30 seed) looms, followed by potential matches against Madison Keys (No. 6 seed) and Iga Swiatek (No. 3 seed) in the semifinals. Sabalenka defeated Swiatek in the 2024 Cincinnati semifinals.

No. 2 seed Coco Gauff aims to regain form after an early loss in Montreal. She’ll face either Wang Xinyu or Emilia Arango and could meet Dayana Yastremska (No. 32 seed) in the third round. Additionally, former world No. 1 Venus Williams received a wild card entry. The 45-year-old, returning after a 16-month break, won her opening match last month and will face Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the first round.