A Growing List of Absentees
The 2026 US Open is facing an unprecedented wave of player withdrawals, with at least 23 names missing from the men's entry list heading into the final Grand Slam of the season. World number one Jannik Sinner headlines the absentees after a knee injury ended his hopes of defending a deep run at Flushing Meadows. He has been joined by a string of notable names including Joao Fonseca, Jack Draper, Marin Cilic, and Casper Ruud. Thanasi Kokkinakis became the 14th man to officially pull out, prompting the ATP Tour to break its silence and issue a formal response.
In a statement to Sky Sports Tennis, the governing body acknowledged the complexity of the situation, noting that injuries in professional tennis are rarely caused by a single factor and that each player case carries its own unique medical and physical context.
Balls, Surfaces, and Bigger Questions
Not everyone is satisfied with that diplomatic answer. Renowned coach Patrick Mouratoglou pointed directly at two culprits: changes in ball specifications across different tournaments and the gradual slowing of court surfaces over the past two decades. He argued that slower surfaces force players to hit harder and sustain longer rallies to earn winners, placing enormous strain on their bodies. The new generation of power hitters, he suggested, is paying the physical price.
Ball complaints have been a recurring theme across both the ATP and WTA tours this season, with players like Emma Raducanu and Daniil Medvedev among those voicing frustration. The US Open remains the only Grand Slam where men and women use different balls, with the men competing on a heavier version unique to the event. Players have repeatedly called for a single, consistent ball used across the full season. TennisDraw users tracking bracket chaos this fortnight will find very few of their pre-tournament picks still intact.
