Four of tennis’s biggest stars turned a typical fan interaction into pure magic. At the 2025 Cincinnati Open, Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Świątek, Jannik Sinner, and Aryna Sabalenka found themselves secretly listening to heartfelt messages from unsuspecting fans. What happened next delivered one of the tournament’s most memorable moments, away from the actual tennis courts.
How Did Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Świątek, Jannik Sinner, and Aryna Sabalenka Surprise Fans?
Before starting their campaigns at the tournament, Alcaraz, Świątek, Sinner, and Sabalenka participated in what fans believed was a simple video message recording session. Fans were asked to record videos with heartfelt messages for their favorite players, completely unaware that the players themselves were listening to every word from behind a curtain.
After recording their video messages, fans were invited to pose for what they thought was just another picture. That’s when the surprise unfolded. Alcaraz, Świątek, Sinner, and Sabalenka emerged from behind the curtain, having listened to their fans’ messages throughout the entire process.
Tennis fans are filming messages to their favorite players in Cincinnati…
…or so they thought. #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/4NkYvaUlqj
— Cincinnati Open (@CincyTennis) August 11, 2025
The emotional reactions captured the genuine connection between players and their supporters. After the Cincinnati Open concludes, these four stars will head to the 2025 US Open, where Sinner and Sabalenka will be defending their titles. Both claimed their respective crowns in 2024, with Sinner defeating Taylor Fritz and Sabalenka beating Jessica Pegula in the finals.
Meanwhile, Alcaraz fell to Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round of last year’s tournament, while Świątek reached the quarterfinals before losing to eventual runner-up Pegula.
How Did the Four Stars Perform at Cincinnati?
Sinner has lived up to his top billing at the ATP Masters 1000 hard-court tournament in Ohio. The world No. 1 began his campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye, then defeated Daniel Elahi Galán and Gabriel Diallo to advance to the fourth round. His path through the draw has been methodical and efficient.
Alcaraz has also advanced smoothly through his section of the draw. The second seed started his campaign in the second round after a first-round bye, then triumphed over Damir Džumhur in his opening match to secure a place in the third round. The Spaniard looks comfortable on the Cincinnati hard courts.
On the women’s side, Sabalenka has justified her top seeding with commanding performances. She overcame Markéta Vondroušová and Emma Raducanu to reach the fourth round, showing the form that made her the defending champion after last year’s victory over Pegula.
Meanwhile, Świątek has navigated her path through the WTA 1000 hard court tournament with precision. The third seed overcame Anastasia Potapova and 25th seed Marta Kostyuk in the second and third rounds, respectively, securing her spot in the fourth round alongside the other three stars.
Who Will Alcaraz, Świątek, Sinner, and Sabalenka Face Next in Cincinnati?
The tournament action intensifies as three of the four players have reached the fourth round, while Alcaraz prepares for his third-round encounter. The Spaniard faces Hamad Medjedovic next, marking their first meeting on the ATP Tour. This match presents an intriguing test for Alcaraz as he looks to join his fellow superstars in the tournament’s deeper rounds.
The winner of that clash will advance to the fourth round, where they’ll meet either 16th seed Jakub Menšík or lucky loser Luca Nardi. For Alcaraz, the path ahead requires navigating unfamiliar territory against Medjedovic.
Sinner faces a more familiar opponent in qualifier Adrian Mannarino. The Italian has dominated their head-to-head record, winning all three previous encounters on the ATP Tour. Their most recent battle came in the third round of the 2023 Indian Wells Masters, where Sinner secured victory with a 7-6(7), 6-4 score.
The winner between Sinner and Mannarino will advance to the quarterfinals against either 23rd seed Félix Auger-Aliassime or Benjamin Bonzi. Given Sinner’s perfect record against Mannarino, the world No. 1 heads into this match with confidence and historical precedent on his side.
The women’s draw presents equally compelling matchups for both players already in the fourth round. Świątek squares off against Sorana Cîrstea, another opponent she knows well. The former world No. 1 has won all four previous meetings between the two players, including their most recent encounter in the third round of the 2024 Madrid Open, where she dominated 6-1, 6-1.
The winner of Świątek’s match will advance to the quarterfinals to face either 12th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova or 28th seed Anna Kalinskaya. With her perfect record against Cîrstea, Świątek enters this contest as the heavy favorite.
Sabalenka takes on Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro in what represents a more recent rivalry. The two players have met just once before on the WTA Tour, in the second round of the 2025 Australian Open, where the world No. 1 prevailed 6-3, 7-5. That victory came during Sabalenka’s path to defending her Australian Open title.
The winner of Sabalenka’s encounter will advance to face either sixth seed Madison Keys or ninth seed Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals. Both potential opponents would present significant challenges, making Sabalenka’s immediate focus crucial against Maneiro.
