Jannik Sinner has officially withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open, confirming through a tournament statement that a nagging right knee issue has left him unable to compete. The Italian star had reportedly undergone tests at an Italian medical centre in the days leading up to the event, and after consulting with his medical team, concluded that pushing through would be a risk not worth taking.
In his statement, Sinner expressed genuine disappointment at missing the Masters 1000 event, extending warm wishes to tournament director Bob Moran and the Cincinnati staff while making clear that his singular focus is now arriving at the US Open in peak condition.
Italian tennis legend Paolo Bertolucci moved quickly to calm concerns, telling Gazzetta that the withdrawal should not be treated as an alarm signal. Rather, Bertolucci framed it as a calculated, protective decision, shaped in part by the painful experience Sinner endured at Roland Garros earlier this season. That setback, he suggested, has made Sinner and his team far more cautious about competing with any lingering physical doubts.
Bertolucci also highlighted a strategic dimension to the choice. With Carlos Alcaraz sidelined since April and facing uncertainty around his return, Sinner's grip on the world No. 1 ranking is essentially secure through the end of the season. That comfortable cushion removes any urgency to risk aggravating the knee at a tournament where the ranking stakes are relatively low.
Sinner joins a lengthy Cincinnati withdrawal list that includes Alcaraz, Holger Rune, Alexander Bublik, and several others, with Stefanos Tsitsipas stepping in as his replacement.
TennisDraw users were closely tracking Sinner's fitness status, and many had already flagged his participation as uncertain in their US Open bracket predictions.
