Jannik Sinner of Italy reacts after winning against Alexander Zverev of Germany in the men’s singles final at Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, July 12.Kirsty Wigglesworth/The Associated Press
World number one Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the U.S. Open due to a persistent right knee injury, the Italian said on Friday, depriving the season’s final Grand Slam of one of its biggest contenders.
The 24-year-old, who captured his fifth major title at Wimbledon last month, has not played since sustaining the injury earlier this month.
He pulled out of the Cincinnati Open and also skipped the Canadian Open, two key hard-court tune-up events ahead of the Grand Slam tournament in New York.
“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 posted on X.
“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.”
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 US Open this year. We have been back on court in Monte Carlo over the last couple of days and have realised that I… pic.twitter.com/9eoYS29jpO
— Jannik Sinner (@janniksin) August 21, 2026
The announcement comes a day after world number two Carlos Alcaraz confirmed he would compete at Flushing Meadows following a four-month absence from competitive tennis.
Alcaraz, who beat Sinner in last year’s U.S. Open final, now heads to New York as the highest-ranked player and one of the favourites to lift the title, despite recent injury troubles.
Sinner’s absence removes one of the Spaniard’s biggest rivals and could ease his path as he bids for an eighth Grand Slam crown.
The U.S. Open runs from Aug. 23 to Sept. 13.