World No. 1 and 2024 champion Jannik Sinner withdrew from the upcoming U.S. Open on Friday with a knee injury.
The Italian star’s news came less than 24 hours after rival Carlos Alcaraz of Spain announced he will make his comeback at the season’s final Grand Slam tournament.
“Even though I have been working hard with my team and my medical staff, we have now had to make the difficult decision that I will not be able to compete at the U.S. Open this year,” Sinner said in a statement.
“We have been back on court in Monte Carlo over the last couple of days and have realized that I still need more time to recover from my right knee issue. I’m obviously very sad and disappointed, as New York has a special place in my heart. I was very much looking forward to coming back and playing in the electric atmosphere in front of the great fans there.”
Sinner, 25, has not played since collecting his fifth major title earlier this summer at Wimbledon, one of his six ATP Tour crowns in 2026. He has a 44-3 singles record this season.
Sinner defeated Taylor Fritz in three sets to win his lone U.S. Open championship two years ago. Last year, he fell to Alcaraz in a four-set final.
Alcaraz, 23, announced Thursday he will return to action at the hard-court Grand Slam in Flushing, N.Y., after being sidelined with a right wrist injury since mid-April. The U.S. Open runs from Aug. 30-Sept. 13.
–Field Level Media
