A Stacked Absentee List Heading Into Flushing Meadows
The 2026 US Open is almost here, and the final Grand Slam of the season is already dealing with a significant casualty list. A total of 19 players have now withdrawn from the main draw singles events at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, where play runs from August 30 through September 13. This marks the 146th edition of the tournament, closing out the North American hard-court summer swing.
The most painful withdrawal on the men's side is Jannik Sinner, currently ranked world No. 1, who has been sidelined since lifting his fifth Grand Slam trophy at Wimbledon last month. A knee injury has kept him off the court, and Carlos Taberner steps in as his replacement. Joao Fonseca and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina are also absent, replaced by a lucky loser and Alexei Popyrin respectively. Holger Rune and Jack Draper round out a notable list of ATP absentees.
Women's Draw Also Takes a Hit
On the WTA side, nine players have withdrawn, including Victoria Mboko and Emma Raducanu. Raducanu's absence will disappoint fans hoping to see her compete on the surface where she famously captured the 2021 US Open title. Mananchaya Sawangkaew steps in for Mboko, while other replacements fill the remaining gaps.
There is positive news to balance the disappointment. Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning men's champion, had missed four months with a right wrist injury but confirmed his participation and even returned to action in a mixed doubles appearance alongside Serena Williams. Aryna Sabalenka, the defending women's champion, is also in the draw. Despite the withdrawals, the field retains plenty of star power heading into one of tennis's biggest fortnights. TennisDraw users will want to update their bracket picks accordingly before the first ball is struck.
