Sinner's withdrawal
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner will not compete in the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the season, because of a right knee injury, he confirmed on Friday. The Italian, who is a five-time Grand Slam winner and won the US Open in 2024, said in a statement that despite hard work with his team and medical staff, he needed more time to recover.
"We have been back on court in Monte Carlo over the last couple of days and have realised that I still need more time to recover from my right knee issue," Sinner wrote on X, according to multiple outlets including Al Jazeera and The Guardian. "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 has not played since winning Wimbledon on July 12, where he defeated Alexander Zverev for his second straight title at the All England Club. He subsequently pulled out of the hard-court warm-up tournaments in Montreal and Cincinnati, both Masters 1000 events.
This marks the first Grand Slam Sinner has missed since his debut in 2019, as noted by ABC Australia. He will remain in Europe to continue his recovery, with an eye on the Asian swing, including Beijing and Shanghai, according to The Manila Times.
A season of dominance and a collapse
Sinner had been dominating the 2026 season with an impressive record of 44 wins against three losses, lifting six titles, including his second consecutive Wimbledon crown. However, as multiple sources noted, he suffered a stunning collapse at the French Open, where he was the overwhelming favorite but lost in the second round to Juan Manuel Cerundolo, reportedly struggling in the heat.
His withdrawal leaves the US Open without the man who won the title in 2024 but lost last year's final to Carlos Alcaraz. That loss ended Sinner's title reign after he had beaten Taylor Fritz in straight sets in the 2024 final.
Alcaraz's return
Sinner's withdrawal comes a day after his great rival, Carlos Alcaraz, announced he would return to competition at the US Open after a more than four-month absence due to a right wrist injury. Alcaraz, the defending champion and, with Sinner out, the No. 2 seed, has not played since April, when he withdrew during the Barcelona Open, and missed both Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Alcaraz had a dominant run earlier in the season, but as the Hindustan Times points out, this is his first competitive tournament since April 14, and he has never been away this long nor returned from an injury that kept him out of two Slams in succession. The Spaniard, who completed a career Grand Slam at the age of 22 with his Australian Open triumph in January, now has seven major titles under his belt.
Despite his relatively long layoff, Alcaraz's return coincides with Sinner's absence, and he is widely considered to have a clearer path through the draw. With Sinner out, Alcaraz moves up to the No. 2 seed, meaning he will not face top seed Alexander Zverev until the final, as noted by Hindustan Times.
Who benefits?
Sinner's withdrawal has opened up the field, and several observers have highlighted potential beneficiaries.
Patrick McEnroe, ESPN tennis analyst and former player, told the New York Post that Sinner's absence is an "opportunity for the rest of the field." He specifically named Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, and Alexander Zverev as second-tier guys who should be "licking their chips" at the chance.
McEnroe went further, predicting and that Ben Shelton will win the US Open, which would be the first American male winner since Andy Roddick in 2003. "He's had the best summer, winning Canada, he's got the most upside I've been talking about of all the American men for a couple years now," McEnroe said. He noted that Shelton could be seeded 4, 5, or 6, and could avoid Alcaraz until later rounds.
Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena Williams' former coach, also sees a rare opening. He told The Times of India that Alexander Zverev, Joao Fonseca Jodar, and Ben Shelton could benefit more than just from a favorable draw. "Second, there is a space because there is a moment when the top guys are not here, and one or two guys take that space," he explained.
Zverev, who won his first Grand Slam at Roland Garros earlier this year, has had an inconsistent hard-court preparation, with an early loss in Canada and a fourth-round defeat to Tommy Paul in Cincinnati, according to The Times of India. But Sinner's absence gives him a clear path.
Mouratoglou also suggested that Jodar or Shelton could change their careers: "Same if Jodar or Shelton wins the US Open, thanks also to the absence of the best two or the fact that they're not."
British sports broadcaster David Law, however, has expressed doubts about Alcaraz's fitness, suggesting that Alcaraz may have rushed his return. "I absolutely hope that it's caution," Law said on The Tennis Podcast, as reported by Essentially Sports. "It might have been more sensible to target the Australian Open and work his way into that with the next two or three months."
Alcaraz's path and other storylines
Alcaraz is also playing mixed doubles with Serena Williams, having received wildcards for that event, as detailed by Essentially Sports and NBC Sports. He is ranked No. 3 in the live world rankings after Alexander Zverev took over the No. 2 spot, but he has 7,160 ranking points. A first-round exit could see him drop behind Felix Auger-Aliassime, as computed by Essentially Sports.
The US Open runs from Sunday, August 30, through September 13. The tournament will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN, and other channels. Alcaraz will face an unseeded opponent in the first round, according to NBC Sports.
Alcaraz is bidding to become the first man to repeat as US Open champion since Roger Federer's five-year streak from 2004 to 2008. The draw, released Thursday, will reveal his full path, but the absence of Sinner has already reshaped the men's game.