Lead

World number one Jannik Sinner has pulled out of the Cincinnati Open due to a right knee injury, the Italian announced on Sunday. The withdrawal comes just days after Carlos Alcaraz, the world number two, also pulled out of the tournament with a wrist injury, leaving the men's draw at the ATP Masters 1000 event without its top two ranked players.

Sinner, a five-time Grand Slam winner, made the announcement in a statement posted on the ATP website. "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."

Coverage Comparison

The two top-ranked men in tennis have both withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open, which begins on Thursday. Sinner's withdrawal was announced on the ATP website on Sunday, while Alcaraz's was confirmed by tournament organisers in a statement late on Tuesday. Both decisions come ahead of the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the season, which starts in New York on 30 August.

Sinner also missed the Montreal Masters, which concludes on the same day the Cincinnati Open begins. He said at the time that the decision was taken to "prioritise my health." The Cincinnati Open and Montreal Masters are the two principal warm-up events ahead of the US Open.

Alcaraz had been sidelined since withdrawing from the Barcelona Open in the second round in April. He had been expected to return at the Cincinnati Open, which he won last year, but organisers said he would not compete. Cincinnati tournament director Bob Moran said in a statement: "We know Carlos is doing everything he can to get back to playing tournaments as soon as possible."

Key Claims

  • Jannik Sinner withdrew from the Cincinnati Open due to a right knee injury, as announced on the ATP website.
  • Sinner had been on a six-tournament winning streak at 1000 level heading into the North American hard-court swing, before skipping the event in Canada.
  • Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the Cincinnati Open due to a wrist injury, as confirmed by tournament organisers.
  • Alcaraz has been sidelined since withdrawing from the Barcelona Open in April.
  • Alcaraz won last year's Cincinnati title after Sinner retired from the final, and carried the momentum to the US Open, where he won his second US Open crown.
  • Alcaraz began the season by claiming the Australian Open title to become the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam.
Alcaraz, a 23-year-old Spaniard, was unable to defend his French Open title and missed Wimbledon as he continued his recovery, though he signalled he was close to a return after posting videos of training sessions in the last few weeks. The Winston-Salem Open, which begins on 23 August, would be the last chance for Alcaraz to get matches before the US Open, though he has yet to signal whether he intends to participate in that ATP 250 event.

In Sinner's absence, Alcaraz successfully defended his Wimbledon title and took his major tally to five. Alcaraz won last year's Cincinnati title after Sinner retired from the final, and carried the momentum to Flushing Meadows, where he won his second US Open title after his 2022 triumph.