Jannik Sinner withdraws from 2026 US Open: Here's why
What's the story
World number one Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the US Open due to a right knee injury. The Italian tennis star announced his decision on Friday, saying that despite working hard with his team and medical staff, he still needs more time to recover from the issue. This is Sinner's first Grand Slam absence since his debut at the 2019 US Open.
Withdrawal announcement
'Obviously very sad and disappointed'
In a statement, Sinner said, "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."
He added that he was "obviously very sad and disappointed" as he was looking forward to playing in front of fans in New York.
Season summary
Sinner's impressive 2026 season
Despite the injury setback, Sinner has had an impressive 2026 season. He won the first five ATP Masters 1000 events of the year - Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Madrid, and Rome.
The world No. 1 also won his first Grand Slam title of the season at Wimbledon, where he beat French Open champion Alexander Zverev in four sets.
Sinner was a semi-finalist at 2026 Australian Open.
Recovery strategy
Sinner to continue rehab in Europe
Sinner will stay in Europe to continue his rehabilitation with his medical and performance teams.
The current plan is to target the Asian swing, with Beijing and Shanghai as potential comeback tournaments if his recovery goes as planned.
The US Open main draw starts on August 30, but Sinner's focus is on giving his right knee enough time to heal properly instead of risking an early return at the tournament.
Information
Sinner is 23-6 at the US Open
Sinner won the US Open title in 2024 and reached last year's final where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in four sets. He is also a one-time quarter-finalist in 2022. He is 23-6 at the US Open.