Jannik Sinner withdraws from US Open 2026: Injury behind world No. 1’s shock exit revealed

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner has suffered a major setback as he withdraws from the 2026 US Open due to a right knee injury.

The decision means fans will not get to see Sinner face Carlos Alcaraz at a Grand Slam this year. The pair did not meet at the Australian Open, while Alcaraz missed the French Open and Wimbledon due to injury issues. With Alcaraz announcing his return at the US Open, Sinner’s withdrawal now means their Grand Slam rivalry will have to wait until next year.

Sinner, who won his fifth major at Wimbledon this year, had been aiming for his second US Open title after winning the tournament in 2024. However, the 25-year-old announced on Friday that he would withdraw from this year’s event.

Jannik Sinner to miss US Open 2026

Notably, Sinner has not competed since successfully defending his Wimbledon title in July. In a post on X, the Italian revealed that he is still dealing with an issue in his right knee and needs more time to recover.

Sinner wrote: “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 still need more time to recover from my right knee issue. 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. ❤️”

With Sinner sidelined, 2026 Roland Garros champion Alexander Zverev will be the top seed at Flushing Meadows. Alcaraz will be the second seed, while Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime will be seeded third.

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