Top-ranked Jannik Sinner withdraws from US Open with knee injury

Top-ranked Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the US Open due to a right knee injury, he announced on social media.

“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,” Sinner said in a statement. “We have been back on court in Monte Carlo over the last couple of days and have realized 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.”

Sinner, who has a 44-3 record and six titles this year, last played at Wimbledon, where he beat Alexander Zverev in four sets to capture his fifth Grand Slam title.

The 25-year-old Italian then withdrew from the Cincinnati Masters, citing knee issues, but was in the midst of an impressive run in the spring, blowing through the competition, winning five ATP Masters 1000 events. (Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome).

Sinner won the 2024 US Open title and lost in the final to Carlos Alcaraz last year.

The men’s singles tournament starts Aug. 30. With Sinner’s withdrawal, Spain’s Carlos Taberner now moves into the Main Draw.

The United States Tennis Association will announce the seeds for the tournament next week, but French Open champion Alexander Zverev will be the top seed, and Alcaraz, who announced his return this week from a right wrist injury after a five-month absence, will be the No. 2 seed, and Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime will occupy the No. 3 seed.

The US Open seeds are based directly on the ATP rankings before the tournament, so any player who withdraws would cause other players to move up a spot in the final seeding.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Top-ranked Jannik Sinner withdraws from US Open with knee injury