World No 1 Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open after being troubled by a right knee injury, the Italian confirmed in a statement on Sunday, 9 August 2026. The five-time Grand Slam champion said he was not yet fit enough to compete, casting fresh uncertainty over his preparation for the US Open later this month.
In his statement, posted through the ATP website, Sinner explained the decision came after consultation with his medical team.
“After consulting with my doctors and my team, I have to announce that I need to withdraw from the Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati,” he said. “My right knee has been bothering me and even though we have been working hard with my medical team, I have to accept that I’m not ready to compete yet.”
The Cincinnati Open begins with qualifying on Tuesday, 11 August, and runs through to the singles finals on Sunday, 23 August, according to a Forbes report. Sinner had already pulled out of the Montreal Masters, which concludes the same day the Cincinnati event starts, citing a need to prioritise his health at the time.
Why is this significant for the men's draw?
Sinner's absence means the tournament will be without the world's top two ranked men, since Carlos Alcaraz has also withdrawn from Cincinnati because of an ongoing wrist injury, according to Forbes. Alcaraz's own fitness ahead of his US Open title defence has been in question since that withdrawal, and Sinner's exit now leaves both of the sport's dominant figures managing physical setbacks in the same warm-up window.
What led to the withdrawal?
Sinner had been in outstanding form heading into the North American hard-court swing, riding a six-tournament winning streak at Masters 1000 level before he opted to skip Montreal. Reports at the time indicated he travelled to Milan for a non-routine examination of the knee, with Professor Gianluca Melegati reportedly involved in assessing the injury, according to Tennis Up To Date.
This is not the first physical scare Sinner has faced this season. He fought through a fall and a bleeding foot to win a five-set opener at Wimbledon in defence of his title, showing a pattern of managing niggling issues through the year's biggest events.
What happens next?
With Cincinnati now behind him, Sinner's focus shifts to being fit for the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the season, which starts in New York on 30 August, according to Forbes. Both the Cincinnati Open and the Montreal Masters serve as the two main hard-court tune-up events before that tournament, meaning Sinner will head into New York with limited match play on the surface this summer.
Key Facts
- Sinner withdrew from Cincinnati on Sunday, 9 August 2026, citing a right knee injury.
- He had already skipped the Montreal Masters to prioritise his health.
- Carlos Alcaraz has also withdrawn from Cincinnati with a wrist injury, per Forbes.
- The Cincinnati Open runs from Tuesday, 11 August, to Sunday, 23 August.
- The US Open begins in New York on 30 August 2026.
