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Jannik Sinner has successfully appealed against a drug ban after two tests confirmed he had a banned substance in his system, with the route taken to reach an outcome in the case having a direct impact on his biggest rivals Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.

Tennis players who test positive for a banned substance tend to be suspended until the outcome of the case, as highlighted in the high-profile case against Simona Halep.

Yet Sinner was allowed to continue his career after he failed a drug test at the Indian Wells Masters earlier this year, with that failed drug test confirmed in a second test.

Jannik Sinner Novak Djokovic Carlos Alcaraz

READ: Jannik Sinner widens gap to Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz in rankings with Cincinnati title as he creates Italian history

Sinner, who warmed up for the US Open starting later this month by winning the Cincinnati title on Monday, first tested positive on March 10.

He was red-flagged again in an out-of-competition test eight days later, with both samples yielding trace amounts of clostebol, but he was able to continue playing on the ATP Tour after successfully challenging a provisional suspension.

Scientific experts consulted by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) concluded Sinner’s account – in which his physiotherapist had used an over-the-counter spray containing clostebol on his skin between March 5 to 13 – was credible.

Sinner said in a statement: “I will now put this challenging and deeply unfortunate period behind me. I will continue to do everything I can to ensure I comply with the ITIA’s anti-doping programme and I have a team around me that are meticulous in their own compliance.”

Sinner will clearly be relieved to emerge from this story without any punishment, but several prominent names in the game have expressed their surprise that the Italian was not suspended while his case was ongoing.

“Can’t imagine what every other player that got banned for contaminated substances is feeling right now,” said Canadian player Denis Shapovalov. “Different rules for different players.”

Athletes have had their careers put on hold during the appeals process, but Sinner played in the Madrid Masters after winning an appeal against a ban, before he went on to play at Wimbledon.

He then reached the quarter-finals at the Montreal Masters earlier this month before winning the Cincinnati Masters with a win against Frances Tiafoe in the final.

That run of results allowed Sinner to open up his lead at the top of the ATP rankings and he will head into the US Open as No 1 seed and with a comfortable lead at the top of the rankings.

Had Sinner been blocked from playing after his positive drug test at Indian Wells, he would not have the 1,000 points on his record from his win in Miami.

He would also have missed out on the 600 points he picked up at the Monte Carlo and Madrid Masters tournaments, as well as the 1,300 points on his record from runs to the semi-finals at the French Open and the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.

Add in the 500 points he collected from his win in the grass court event in Halle in June and the 1,200 ranking points gained from his performances at the Montreal and Cincinnati Masters this month and it adds up to a total of 4,600 ranking points collected since his first failed drug test.

The removal of those points would have left Sinner’s current points tally at 5,160, which would leave him at No 6 in the world rankings.

Djokovic and Alcaraz would have spent time in the No 1 position if Sinner had been suspended since his first positive test, yet the ITIA have insisted that have followed their protocols by allowing the Italian to continue to play.

“Sinner provided an in-competition sample at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells, USA, on 10 March 2024, which contained the presence of a metabolite of clostebol at low levels,” read the ITIA statement.

“A further sample, conducted out of competition eight days later, also tested positive for the same metabolite – again at low levels.

“Clostebol is an anabolic agent prohibited at all times under Section S1 of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.  Under the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC), when a player returns an Adverse Analytical Finding for a non-specified substance, like clostebol, a provisional suspension is automatically applied. The player has the right to apply to an independent tribunal chair appointed by Sport Resolutions to have that provisional suspension lifted.

“As such, after each positive test, a provisional suspension was applied. On both occasions, Sinner successfully appealed the provisional suspension and so has been able to continue playing.

“The player explained that the substance had entered their system as a result of contamination from a support team member, who had been applying an over-the-counter spray (available in Italy) containing clostebol to their own skin to treat a small wound.

“That support team member applied the spray between 5 and 13 March, during which time they also provided daily massages and sports therapy to Sinner, resulting in unknowing transdermal contamination.

“Following consultation with scientific experts, who concluded that the player’s explanation was credible, the ITIA did not oppose the player’s appeals to lift the provisional suspensions.

“A thorough investigation by the ITIA followed, including multiple in-depth interviews with Sinner and their support team, all of whom co-operated fully with the process.  Following that investigation, and in line with the independent scientific advice, the ITIA accepted the player’s explanation as to the source of clostebol found in their sample and that the violation was not intentional.

“The ITIA referred the case to an independent tribunal to consider the specific facts, review any comparable anti-doping decisions, and determine what, if any, fault the player bore and therefore the appropriate outcome.

“A hearing was convened at Sport Resolutions on 15 August 2024, from which the independent tribunal determined a finding of No Fault or Negligence applied in the case, resulting in no period of ineligibility.”

Sinner has been stripped of the prize money and 400 ranking points he gained from reaching the semi-finals at Indian Wells, where he lost in three sets to eventual champion and rival Alcaraz.

Yet as athletes are always responsible for any substance found in their bodies, Sinner may feel fortunate that he was not suspended until his case concluded.

Jannik Sinner’s title run at the Cincinnati Open has helped him to maintain a comfortable cushion over Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz at the top of the ATP Rankings while he has also notched up a couple of Italian milestones.

The 23-year-old defeated Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 in the ATP Masters 1000 title to become the first Italian to win the singles title since the event was started in 1899.

The Cincy trophy was also Sinner’s fifth Masters title while he took his ATP Tour title tally for 2024 to five – also the most won by an Italian in a calendar year.

Cincinnati Open: Jannik Sinner beats Frances Tiafoe to win fifth title of  season - BBC Sport

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The world No 1 now sits on 15 career singles titles as he drew level with Carlos Alcaraz and Lleyton Hewitt for the second-most titles won from their first 19 finals. Rafael Nadal leads that particular statistic as he won 17 of his first 19 finals.

But it was far from an easy week for the Sinner as he struggled with a hip injury for most of the tournament while the weather also caused havoc, resulting in extra time on the site.

“It was a very difficult week, tough week. I’m very happy about today’s match,” he said. “It was very tough mentally. Had such an amazing run here, and I tried to do my best today.

“We both were quite tired from yesterday. We both felt a lot of tension, but I’m very glad about [the] level I played today, especially in the important moments.”

Sinner picked up 990 points with his title to move to 9,760 points at the top of the ATP Rankings, 2,300 points ahead of Djokovic in second place with Alcaraz another 100 points behind in third place.

It puts him in a comfortable position at the US Open as he only has 180 points to defend at the final Grand Slam of the year while Djokovic (7,460) will drop 2,000 points as the defending champion and Alcaraz (7,360) will drop 720.

It means the Italian will have at least a 900-odd point lead after the US Open even if he loses in the first round. The maximum number of points that Djokovic can achieve at Flushing Meadows is 7,460 while Alcaraz will be on 8,640 if he wins the title.

Sinner is assured of staying at No 1 until at least the China Open and he will drop 500 points as the defending champion, but that means Alcaraz would then have to make up points, but he will also drop 180 points as he reached the semi-final last year.

Tennis great Lindsay Davenport has criticised Iga Swiatek, claiming the world No 1 uses bathroom breaks as a tactic to disrupt her opponents.

The three-time Grand Slam champion asserted that Swiatek uses the tactic every time she loses a set and labelled it a “bad habit that should be patrolled by the powers that be.”

Swiatek’s tendency to leave the court to take lengthy bathroom breaks after losing sets in matches has been highlighted in recent months by some tennis pundits and fans.

Sabalenka ousts No.1 Swiatek to reach Cincinnati final against Pegula | New  Straits Times | Malaysia General Business Sports and Lifestyle News

READ: Aryna Sabalenka rises to No 2 after breaking the wall in rivalry with Iga Swiatek 

The world No 1 took a break after losing the first set in her 3-6, 3-6 defeat to Aryna Sabalenka in the Cincinnati Open semi-finals. The 23-year-old Polish star also left the court after losing sets in her matches against Danielle Collins at the Paris Olympics.

It is worth noting that Swiatek has not broken any rules and she is by no means the only player to take extended bathroom breaks.

The five-time major winner has also left the court to take breaks after winning sets, which challenges the suggestion she only does it to disrupt opponents when losing.

Speaking on Tennis Channel, former world No 9 Coco Vandeweghe weighed in on the debate about Swiatek’s use of bathroom breaks.

“It’s been spoken about, Iga’s tactic of going to the bathroom, changing her kit, taking her time, always after losing a set,” said the two-time major semi-finalist. “If I was still playing, I would definitely be very aware of it — she’s trying to disrupt my rhythm.”

Davenport, a former world No 1, condemned the apparent tactic and called for Swiatek to be “patrolled.”

“It’s a bad habit that probably should start to be patrolled a little bit by the powers that be,” argued the American. “Lose a set, you leave the court — never used to be like that. But it happens every time.”

The WTA rulebook states there is a time limit of three minutes for players taking a “toilet break only”, which can be taken between sets or before a player’s own service game.

There is a five-minute limit for a “change of attire break” or a “change of attire break taken with a toilet break”, which can only be taken between sets.

The rulebook clarifies that “an authorized break is timed from when the player enters the toilet or change area to when she leaves the toilet or change area.”

Aryna Sabalenka believes she has achieved a breakthrough win over Iga Swiatek as she moved closer to another big title.

Sabalenka advanced to her first WTA Cincinnati Open final, defeating Swiatek 6-3, 6-3 in their semi-final clash.

The Australian Open champion had been eliminated in the last four on three prior occasions, including the past two tournaments, but she defeated her Polish opponent in straight sets for the first time.

Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka ready for blockbuster rematch in  Internazionali BNL d'Italia final | Tennis News | Sky Sports

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Sabalenka kept the points short and snappy in their third match of the season and first on hard court, thanks to a precise serve and return game.

Swiatek leads the circuit in both service and return game wins, but she failed to break through on both counts on Sunday.

While WTA Tour star from Minsk served at only 52 per cent, she was able to win 67 per cent of her first serves and 53 per cent of her second.

Swiatek, the world No 1, was also aiming for her maiden final in Cincinnati, but a woeful 20% success rate off her second serve contributed significantly to her defeat.

The rankings queen might have gone down in straight sets but Sabalenka felt she couldn’t make any mistakes against a relentless foe.

“It sounds like I broke the wall, finally,” Sabalenka said, after beating Swiatek.

“Of course, I’m super happy to be in the final after such a tough battle against Iga.

“I kept telling myself, that’s why she’s world No. 1. She’s going to fight till the last point so you have got to stay aggressive and keep doing your job.”

On Tuesday, the Belarusian will overtake Coco Gauff to reclaim the No 2 spot in the PIF WTA rankings. Consequently, she is expected to be the No 2 seed in the US Open.

Sabalenka will also leapfrog Elena Rybakina to reach to second place on the PIF Race to the WTA Finals Leaderboard, trailing only Swiatek, who has already qualified for the season-ending tournament.

She admitted that she prefers to be cast in the underdog role but accepted that her rise in the rankings is down to her strong efforts.

“I feel comfortable being in the bottom half of the net, but I’ll be more comfortable to see myself on the top half of the net,” Sabalenka said, “I’m trying my best to get there.”

Jannik Sinner’s victory over Alexander Zverev in the semi-final at the Cincinnati Open has had a big impact on the seedings for the US Open and the world No 1 ranking.

The Italian claimed a 7-6 (11-9), 5-7, 7-6 (7-4) victory over Zverev to deny the German the chance of usurping Novak Djokovic and Carlos in the ATP Rankings ahead of the US Open.

Sinner, Djokovic, Alcaraz and Zverev were the top four in the rankings ahead of the Cincinnati Open and the former was assured of always assured of remaining at No 1 after the event following Djokovic’s decision to skip both the Canadian and Cincinnati Masters 1000 events.

Old master Novak Djokovic is simply still a different calibre to Carlos  Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner'

READ: Coco Gauff admits she is struggling in key area ahead of US Open as she looks to hit reset button

Alcaraz, meanwhile, had the opportunity to overtake Djokovic at No 2 with a deep run in Cincy, but he fell at the first hurdle as he was beaten in the second round by Gael Monfils.

Zverev then had a chance to overtake both Djokovic and Alcaraz to claim the No 2 spot, but he had to go all the way at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

With Sinner winning their semi-final, the top 10 seedings for the US Open have been confirmed as the Italian is followed by Djokovic, Alcaraz, Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Hubert Hurkacz, Casper Ruud, Grigor Dimitrov and Alex de Minaur.

It means Sinner and Djokovic can only face each other in the final while Alcaraz and Zverev will likely have to get past both in order to win the US Open.

Sinner will face Frances Tiafoe in Monday’s final and the American has moved up to No 20 in the ATP Rankings with his run. If Tiafoe wins the Cincinnati Open then he will be seeded 17th for the final Grand Slam of the year at Flushing Meadows.

Sinner’s run to the Cincy final has also put a dent in Djokovic and Alcaraz’s hopes of reclaiming the No 1 spot in the rankings after the US Open.

The Italian is on 9,410 points in the Live Rankings ahead of the Cincinnati final and he has only 180 points to defend in New York, which effectively puts him on 9,230 points (9,580 if he wins the final).

Djokovic is on 7,460 points and as the defending US Open champion that is the maximum he can achieve after the tournament, Alcaraz’s maximum is 8,860 and Zverev’s 8,675.

Sinner is thus assured of staying at No 1 until September 29 as the US Open is followed by the Davis Cup, Laver Cup and a couple of ATP 250 events where the top players didn’t feature last year.

The China Open, which runs from September 23-29, is the next event that will affect the top of the rankings as Sinner is the defending champion there.

Iga Swiatek has improved a stunning statistic that demonstrates her remarkable consistency at WTA 1000 tournaments by reaching the semi-finals in Cincinnati.

The world No 1 won an enthralling first encounter with 17-year-old Russian star Mirra Andreeva 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the quarter-finals in Cincinnati.

Following her win against the world No 24, Swiatek said: “She’s playing and behaving like she’s older.

“I felt like we were playing at a similar level. It was really tight. Every point mattered at the end. It wasn’t easy.”

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JUST IN: Why Carlos Alcaraz’s shock Cincinnati defeat could boost his bid for US Open glory

Swiatek will face world No 3 Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals in Cincinnati in what will be the pair’s 12th meeting. She holds an 8-3 record against her Belarusian rival and won their two previous encounters this season.

The Polish great is through to her 17th WTA 1000 level semi-final and she holds the record for the highest percentage of last four appearances at this category of tournament.

Here are the five players with the highest rate of WTA 1000 semi-finals reached since the format was introduced in 2009.

1. Iga Swiatek – 17 semi-finals from 31 appearances (54.8%)

Swiatek is playing the 31st WTA 1000 event of her career in Cincinnati and she has reached the last four or better in 54.8% of her appearances.

The 23-year-old has won 10 WTA 1000 titles from her previous 30 tournaments at this level and is looking to triumph in Cincinnati for the first time.

2. Serena Williams – 26 semi-finals from 49 appearances (53.1%)

Serena Williams progressed to 26 semi-finals at the 49 WTA 1000 tournaments she competed in, giving her a 53.1% semi-final rate.

The American legend won 13 WTA 1000 titles after the category came into force.

=3. Maria Sharapova – 22 semi-finals from 50 appearances (44%)

Maria Sharapova made 22 last four appearances from the 50 WTA 1000 events she featured in, giving her a 44% semi-final rate.

The Russian great claimed eight WTA 1000 titles from 2009 onwards.

=3. Ashleigh Barty – 11 semi-finals from 25 appearances (44%)

Ashleigh reached the semi-finals at 11 of the 25 WTA 1000 tournaments she played, which equates to 44% — an identical percentage to Sharapova.

The Australian icon secured three WTA 1000 titles.

5. Simona Halep – 29 semi-finals from 86 appearances (33.7%)

Simona Halep has advanced to 29 WTA 1000 semi-finals from her 86 appearances at this level to date, leaving her with a 33.7% last four rate.

The Romanian star has collected nine WTA 1000 titles so far in her career.

Carlos Alcaraz looked genuinely shocked by the level of his performance as he slumped to a shocking defeat against Gael Monfils in Cincinnati, but this might just be the perfect reset for the form player in the men’s game.

Rain had forced the players off on Thursday night with Alcaraz a set up but 3-1 down in a second set tie-break and there was an expectation that

Frenchman Monfils was quickly out of the blocks to level the contest, and he then took the decider for a 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 triumph.

Carlos Alcaraz advances via retirement to begin US Open title defense -  Official Site of the 2024 US Open Tennis Championships - A USTA Event

READ: Iga Swiatek hits yet more milestones as she cruises into Cincinnati quarter-finals

Alcaraz’s frustration with his performance surfaced in the deciding set as he smashed his racquet after missing an opportunity to break 37-year-old Monfils’ serve, but that outburst of emotion did not fire his burners as he limped out of a tournament he reached the final in last year.

“I felt like it was the worst match that I ever played in my career,” said Alcaraz. “I couldn’t play. Honestly, I’ve been practising really well here in this tournament.

“The previous days, I was feeling great, hitting the ball clear, moving well. I don’t know what happened. I don’t know how I felt like this, but I couldn’t control myself. I couldn’t be better. So this match, it was impossible to win.”

He also addressed his explosive racket smash as he added: “I felt sometimes that I wanted to break the racquet. It never happened before, because I could control myself in those situations, in those feelings.

“Most of the time I could control myself and it could go better in the matches or in the situation that I’ve been feeling before.

“Today, I couldn’t control myself, because, as I said, I was feeling that I was not playing any kind of tennis. I think some players, a lot of players, during their careers and during some certain moments, they can’t control themselves. And it was one of the moments for me.”

“It’s kind of really difficult to find some good stuff from this match. So I want to forget it, and try to move on to New York,” Alcaraz said in his post-match press conference.

“I’ll go to New York and I’ll try to practise well, to get used to those courts. And I will forget this match because I think it is impossible to get any good things about this match.”

His early exit will dent his ATP Ranking push ahead of the US Open, with his hopes of leaping ahead of Novak Djokovic to the No 2 position ahead of the final major of the year now over.

Yet Alcaraz has confirmed over the course of the last few weeks that he can beat Djokovic and world No 1 Jannik Sinner when he is fresh and at his best and the break he will now have ahead of the US Open could be just what he needs.

Alcaraz has had more than enough tennis in recent weeks to take some time off to prepare for his return to Flushing Meadows.

This shocking loss against Monfils will give him a chance to head to New York early and get extra practice in the conditions that he needs to master to win his second US Open title.

Being seeded No 3 for the tournament will be a blow as it means he may need to beat Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic to take the title if his two big rivals get that far in the competition.

Yet the other two members of the new ‘Big 3’ at the top of the men’s game also have some doubts hovering around them.

Sinner admits he is struggling physically amid suggestions that the hip injury that forced him to miss big tournaments during the European clay court season has resurfaced.

Meanwhile, footage of Djokovic has emerged showing him partying in Serbia as he continues to celebrate his cherished Olympic gold men, which he won by beating Alcaraz in the Paris 2024 final.

Alcaraz didn’t get much practice on the super-fast courts in Cincinnati before he played Monfils and the courts in New York should be at a pace that is more to his liking as he targets a third Grand Slam title of the year.

His angry racket smash came as a shock to a tennis world not used to seeing Alcaraz lose his cool, but it highlighted the fire burning inside this magnificent 21-year-old superstar and that will serve him well at the US Open.

It was business as usual for Iga Swiatek on Friday afternoon, with the pole dispatching Marta Kostyuk in straight sets to keep her Cincinnati Open campaign alive.

Swiatek faced a little bit of unnecessary drama versus French qualifier Varvara Gracheva in her opening match on Wednesday, spurning a 5-2 lead in the second set and five match points before eventually prevailing in three sets.

But, against the 15th seed, the world No 1 had a much smoother time of things.

Iga Swiatek closer to breaking THIS Serena Williams record after Cinccinati Open win against Varvara Gracheva | Yardbarker

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Kostyuk broke in the very opening game but was unable to match Swiatek’s consistency after that point, and the five-time Grand Slam winner picked up a comfortable 6-2, 6-2 victory to become the first woman to seal a place in the last eight.

Swiatek hit some notable milestones with her emphatic victory – as now seems commonplace any time the 23-year-old wins a match.

This is now her sixth WTA 1000 quarter-final of the season, only failing to reach the last eight in Miami, when she lost in round four, and at last week’s Canadian Open – where she did not play.

In the past decade, only one player has reached more WTA 1000 quarter-finals in an individual season – herself in 2023, where she reached seven WTA 1000 quarter-finals.

With WTA 1000 events in Beijing and Wuhan coming later in the season, Swiatek is well-placed to eclipse her own personal best.

It is also a 14th straight match win for her at WTA 1000-level, having won Madrid and Rome back-to-back earlier in the year.

That is the second-longest streak by any player since she made her first WTA 1000 appearance in 2019 and, once again, it is her own record she is now potentially in line to break.

She won 23 straight matches at this level in her dominant 2022 season, spanning from Doha to the Canadian Open.

Swiatek has now also reached 13 WTA 1000 quarter-finals across the past two seasons, with Agnieszka Radwanska’s record of 14 across 2012-2013 now under threat.

The world No 1 will face an intriguing quarter-final next, either against fifth seed Jasmine Paolini or teen sensation Mirra Andreeva.

However, with the likes of defending champion Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina already out of the tournament, she will likely fancy her chances of claiming a first Cincinnati title.

Carlos Alcaraz has given his verdict on the “worst match of his career” as he admitted that he “could not control himself” when he smashed his racket during the shock defeat to Gael Monfils at the Cincinnati Open.

Fresh from winning silver at the Paris Olympics, Alcaraz was the hot favourite against veteran Monfils and appeared to be on course for the win after taking the opening set on Thursday. With the score 6-4, 6-6 (1-3), play was called off due to rain and they resumed on Friday afternoon.

Alcaraz admitted during the post-match press conference that the rot had started to set in on Thursday.

I'm Ready': Healthy Carlos Alcaraz Chasing Title, No. 1 At Indian Wells |  ATP Tour | Tennis

READ: Iga Swiatek closes in on Serena Williams record after opening Cincinnati win

“I just [tried] not to think about the match [Thursday] night. I just want to recover as best as I can, to have a good rest and be ready for today’s match,” the Spaniard said.

“Yesterday, I didn’t play well as well. I think yesterday the longest rally was five balls. So I couldn’t get feelings yesterday. So I just thought that, ‘Well, have some rest, and tomorrow it’s gonna be another day. I’m probably going to feel better.’ But it didn’t happen.”

When the match resumed, the four-time Grand Slam winner was all over the show and Monfils took the tie-breaker to send the match to a deciding set.

With the score 1-2 in the third set, Alcaraz lost his cool and obliterated his racket, but it didn’t do him any good as the Frenchman ended up winning 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.

The world No 3 admitted that he lost control.

“I felt sometimes that I wanted to break the racket. It never happened before, because I could control myself in those situations, in those feelings,” he said. “Most of the time I could control myself and it could go better in the matches or in the situation that I’ve been feeling before.

“Today, I couldn’t control myself, because, as I said, I was feeling that I was not playing any kind of tennis. I think some players, a lot of players, during their careers and during certain moments, they can’t control themselves. And it was one of the moments for me.”

Alcaraz is now 38-8 for the season with his defeat to Monfils his second on the trot as he also lost the Paris Olympics gold medal match against Djokovic.

But unlike the Roland Garros match against Djokovic where he played well, the 20-year-old felt he was never at the races against the Frenchman.

“I felt like it was the worst match that I ever played in my career,” he said. “[I] couldn’t play. Honestly, I’ve been practising really well here in this tournament.

“The previous days, I was feeling great, hitting the ball clear, moving well. I don’t know what happened. I don’t know how I felt like this, but I couldn’t control myself. I couldn’t be better. So this match, it was impossible to win.”

Coco Gauff’s US Open preparations suffered a massive setback as she made an early exit from the Cincinnati Open and the American admits she needs to up her game ahead of her title defence in New York.

The reigning US Open champion has not had a good run of late as she lost in the round of 16 at Wimbledon, the third round of the Olympics, the third round at the Canadian Open and now the second round in Cincinnati.

Gauff was the defending champion in Ohio and her defeat to 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 defeat to Yulia Putintseva means she will head into the US Open with only three matches (two in Toronto and one in Cincinnati) under her belt on hard courts.

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That is a far cry from her 2023 form where she won the Washington DC title (Gauff skipped the Citi DC event this year due as it clashed with the Paris Olympics), reached the quarter-final in Canada and won the Cincinnati Open. Those results effectively set her up for her title run in New York.

The 20-year-old’s latest loss will also result in a drop to No 3 in the WTA Rankings and it means she will be seeded third in New York behind world No 1 Iga Swiatek and second seed Aryna Sabalenka.

Gauff admitted there is one thing she currently lacks.

“I feel like I have to work on consistency, overall,” she told the WTA Tour. “[I will] probably go home and try to reset.

“Obviously, I have a lot coming up soon with the US Open, so I think just trying to reset and be ready for that.”

Gauff served nine double faults with four of those coming in the deciding set with her first serve percentage at 56% while she won only 54% of her service points.

Despite her struggles, she broke to love in game six of the deciding set to 4-2 up, but Putintseva hit back immediately as the “tricky” Kazakh player won the final four games of the match.

“I made a lot of errors, especially when I was up 4-2 [in the third set]. I think most of the points she won were off my errors,” Gauff said.

“She’s always a tricky opponent to play. She mixes up the ball, has drop shots, slices. She’s someone that makes you earn the match.”

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