Top-ranked Sinner wins Cincinnati Open for 1st time

MASON, Ohio (AP) — Top-ranked Jannik Sinner won the Cincinnati Open for the first time in his career on Monday.

The Italian, who turned 23 on Friday, beat American Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (4), 6-2 to become the youngest Cincinnati champion since 21-year-old Andy Murray won in 2008.

“I’m very happy to be in the position where I am," Sinner said. "I'm just trying to keep going this way mentally. It's important to recover to be ready for New York. That's the most important thing.”

The US Open begins on Aug. 26 in New York.

Sinner and Tiafoe were both playing in their first Cincinnati finals with their previous best results being the third round.

Tiafoe forced a tiebreak in the first set, but three straight errors led to a 7-6 defeat.

Sinner had a 5-1 lead in the second before Tiafoe saved three match points to make it 5-2 before Sinner was able to serve out for the win.

Tiafoe had a less conventional path to the final. He won the first set in the quarterfinals on Saturday before Hubert Hurkacz retired with a calf injury then saved two match points to defeat Holger Rune in three sets in the semis.

An American man hasn't won the title in Cincinnati since Andy Roddick in 2006.