A Surprising Withdrawal Explained
Jannik Sinner stunned the tennis world by pulling out of the US Open due to a knee injury that developed after Wimbledon. Rumors had been circulating in the lead-up to the tournament, but few expected the world No. 1 to ultimately sit out the year's final Grand Slam. Italian outlet Gazzetta has now shed light on the actual diagnosis, confirming that Sinner is not dealing with a structural lesion, which would have meant a far more serious and prolonged absence. Instead, knee inflammation is the culprit, and doctors have instructed him to avoid tennis courts for at least eight days, with a return to practice not permitted before September 6 at the earliest.
With Sinner absent, the draw has opened up considerably for Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, and Alexander Zverev, who are now considered the leading contenders to claim the title in New York.
Eyes on the China Open
Despite the possibility of his rest period being extended, Sinner's team is reportedly targeting the China Open in Beijing as his comeback tournament. The ATP 500 event begins September 30, giving him over a month to fully recover and rebuild his match sharpness. He won the title there last year, defeating Alex de Minaur, Learner Tien, Fabian Maroszan, and Marin Cilic along the way, meaning he will be defending 500 ranking points upon his return.
Conveniently, Alcaraz is expected to compete at the Japan Open that same week, so the two rivals would avoid each other initially. Sinner would then likely continue to the Shanghai Masters before targeting the indoor European season, where events like the Paris Masters, the Vienna Open, and the ATP Finals await. He claimed all three of those titles in 2025.
TennisDraw users will be watching closely as bracket scenarios across the Asian swing start to take shape around Sinner's recovery timeline.
