With the 2026 Cincinnati Open less than a week away, the withdrawal list has swelled to 11 players across both the ATP and WTA draws, casting a shadow over what is traditionally one of the most stacked hard-court events of the summer.
Carlos Alcaraz, the defending men's champion and a seven-time Grand Slam winner, will not be returning to the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. The Spaniard has been sidelined since April with a right wrist injury and his absence leaves a significant void at the top of the draw. Mattia Bellucci steps in as his replacement.
Holger Rune is also missing, continuing his extended absence due to an Achilles injury he picked up back in October of last year. The Danish talent, who reached a career-high ranking of world No. 4, has yet to confirm a firm comeback date, and Cincinnati will not be the occasion. Daniel Merida takes his spot in the draw.
On the women's side, Jasmine Paolini's withdrawal is particularly poignant. The Italian reached the Cincinnati final in 2025, falling to Iga Swiatek, and was understandably eager to go one better this time around. However, she posted a heartfelt statement on Instagram explaining that the priority is arriving at the US Open in peak condition rather than risking further setbacks. Taylor Townsend replaces her in the draw.
Other notable withdrawals include Alexander Bublik, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Sebastian Korda, Emma Raducanu, and Victoria Mboko, making this one of the more disrupted Masters fields in recent memory.
With so much uncertainty at the top, TennisDraw users looking to lock in their bracket picks for Cincinnati face a genuinely wide-open field this year.
