Jannik Sinner Withdraws From 2026 US Open With Knee Injury

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the 2026 US Open because of a right knee injury, removing the reigning Wimbledon champion from the final Grand Slam tournament of the season. BBC Sport reported the Italian made the decision after returning to the practice court in Monte Carlo and determining that he was not ready for the demands of a major.

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Sinner, 25, has not played a competitive match since defeating Alexander Zverev in the Wimbledon final in July. That victory gave him a fifth career Grand Slam singles title. He had resumed practice by the end of July, but said that recent sessions with his team and medical staff showed he needed additional time to recover.

The withdrawal ends Sinner's bid to add another New York title to the championship he won in 2024. He returned to the US Open final in 2025 but lost to Carlos Alcaraz. The men's singles main draw at Flushing Meadows is scheduled to begin on Sunday, August 30.

Sinner's decision came one day after Alcaraz confirmed that he would compete following a four-month absence caused by a wrist injury. Alcaraz missed the French Open and Wimbledon, meaning the two leading rivals will now have failed to appear together in the draw at each of the past three Grand Slam events.

BBC Sport said the precise nature and severity of Sinner's knee problem have not been disclosed. The outlet reported that a member of his team said surgery was not required. Sinner is expected to continue rehabilitation and practice in Monte Carlo, with an intended return during the Asian hard-court swing in October.

The absence also changes the US Open seeding order. Germany's Zverev will be the top seed, with Alcaraz seeded second and Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime third. Sinner remains comfortably ahead in the world rankings after a 2026 season in which he reclaimed the No. 1 position by beating Alcaraz in the Monte Carlo final in April.