A Bombshell Before the First Serve
Jannik Sinner will not defend his US Open title this year. The Italian, who arrived at Wimbledon in sensational form and carried a 44-3 record into the summer, announced on social media that a persistent right knee problem has forced him to withdraw from Flushing Meadows. He had already skipped the Masters 1000 events in Montreal and Cincinnati, and those absences were supposed to set him up for a fresh run at the year's final Grand Slam. That plan has now collapsed entirely.
Annabel Croft, the former British player turned veteran commentator, called it a genuine shock, noting that the physical demands of the tour seem to be catching up with Sinner at the worst possible moments. Croft pointed out that after winning five consecutive Masters 1000 titles earlier in the year, Sinner arrived at the French Open with little left physically, and now his body has let him down again. With Sinner gone, Alexander Zverev steps into the top seed role, while Carlos Alcaraz, returning from a wrist injury of his own, slots in as the second seed.
Women's Draw Also Hit Hard
The WTA side has absorbed nine withdrawals heading into the tournament. The most pressing concern involves Elena Rybakina, the world No. 2, who aggravated an ankle injury during the Cincinnati Open. She retired from her match against Iga Swiatek after just five games, describing the pain as bad enough to affect her walking. An MRI scan was set to clarify her status.
Holger Rune also confirmed he will skip the event as part of his continued recovery from Achilles surgery, while Alejandro Davidovich Fokina is out with a back injury. The withdrawal list now sits at 16 players total. TennisDraw users will want to revisit their bracket picks carefully given how dramatically the field has shifted.
