Jannik Sinner has officially withdrawn from the Cincinnati Masters after confirming a right knee injury, delivering a significant blow to his hard-court preparations ahead of the US Open. The announcement came from Cincinnati Open organizers on Sunday, who confirmed the withdrawal and wished their 2024 champion a speedy recovery.
Sinner had raised eyebrows in recent days after being spotted visiting a medical facility in Italy, with reports suggesting he brought in his private doctor to assess the knee issue. The Italian star then issued his own statement, explaining that despite working closely with his medical team, he simply was not ready to compete. He expressed genuine disappointment at missing the event and insisted his full focus is now on arriving healthy for the final Grand Slam of the year.
The situation draws inevitable comparisons to rival Carlos Alcaraz, who withdrew from the Barcelona Open back in April citing a wrist problem. That injury proved far more serious than initially indicated, with Alcaraz failing to hit a single competitive ball since then. Alcaraz had also already ruled himself out of Cincinnati, meaning both of men's tennis biggest stars will arrive at the US Open short on match practice and carrying physical concerns.
While Sinner's comments carry a relatively optimistic tone, the uncertainty surrounding the severity of his knee problem is impossible to ignore. Missing Cincinnati removes a crucial opportunity to fine-tune his game on hard courts before New York, and the tennis world will be watching closely as the US Open approaches.
Italy's Luciano Darderi has reportedly achieved something in 2026 that even Sinner has not managed, underlining just how much the top of the ATP landscape could shift if the world No. 1 misses further time. TennisDraw users had overwhelmingly backed Sinner deep into their US Open bracket predictions, making this news one to watch closely.
