👋 Welcome back to The Daily Theory, our morning rundown to help you stay on top of your favorite sport. I’m Allen McDuffee, your guide to all things tennis.

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Let’s tennis!

Four Points

🎾 Iga takes Cincy: After losing the first three games in the final against Jasmine Paolini, Iga Swiatek came roaring back to win the title 7-5, 6-4. It was a landmark win for Swiatek, who not only had never won the 1000-level event but had also never made the finals.

  • What she said: “I mean, let’s be honest,” Swiatek told reporters. “Before, Cincinnati was like the fastest surface we had on tour. So now it has changed a little bit – it’s [slower]. If I would have to point to tournaments that will be the hardest ones to win, it will be Wimbledon and Cincinnati.” She added: “It’s kind of proved that the greatest moments will come when you least expect them. And I’m also happy that I’m just progressing on these faster surfaces.”
  • Next: Swiatek is in action today for the U.S. Open mixed doubles, partnering with Casper Ruud.

🎾 Sinner bows out: Jannik Sinner was unable to defend his title in Cincinnati on Monday after retiring in the final against Carlos Alcaraz. Down 0-5 in the first set, Sinner pulled the plug on the match due to illness.

  • Noteworthy: Terence Atmane, the surprise semifinalist in Cincinnati, who went on a tear for the better part of two weeks, withdrew from U.S. Open qualifying on Monday. Sinner and Atmane notably shared handshakes and hugs before and after their semifinal match.

🎾 Mixed up: The U.S. Open mixed doubles exhibition (yeah, I said it!) kicks off today, and the event that organizers said would have top players climbing over each other to play is off to a rough start before it’s even begun. Putting aside the selection criteria (players were given direct entry based on their singles ranking) and the format (short sets to four and a super tiebreak instead of a third set), several players got close to this week and pulled out.

  • Another casualty: Add to that list of withdrawals Jannik Sinner, who was too ill to play in the finals of Cincinnati. Was it too much to end a 1000 event in Cincy one day and start mixed doubles in New York the next? We answer with a resounding “yes!”
  • Yes, but: You’d think Iga Swiatek, who regularly raises the red flag when it comes to bad scheduling on the tour, would be the first to complain. Instead, she posted on Instagram: “Made it. See on the court @casperruud.”
  • The bottom line: This will still likely be a highly entertaining event. Is it worthy of a major? Nope.

🎾 Happy Pub Day: Not to be confused with International Beer Day (which was on August 1st, btw), today is pub(lication) day for Court Theory subscriber Giri Nathan. It’s no small feat to take a book from beginning to end — and to have such a timely subject matter still cooperating by the time it hits shelves. Luckily, with a small hiccup yesterday, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are poised to continue delivering for years to come. Check out Changeover: A Young Rivalry and a New Era of Men’s Tennis.