Positive Signs From Practice
Jannik Sinner has been putting in meaningful work on court ahead of a potential appearance at the US Open, offering encouraging news for fans who feared the world No. 1 might miss the year's final Grand Slam entirely. Italian journalist Luigi Ansaloni, writing for Gazzetta, reported that Sinner has trained well across multiple sessions at his Monte Carlo club, booking courts for two-hour blocks in the afternoon. His first competitive match at the tournament is expected to fall around Monday, August 31st or Tuesday, September 1st, giving the defending Wimbledon champion additional days to build his fitness.
Sinner skipped both the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open after reports of a knee problem surfaced ahead of Cincinnati. He remains on the US Open entry list, but the injury cloud has created genuine uncertainty around his readiness.
The Tactical Challenge Ahead
Coach Patrick Mouratoglou addressed the situation on Instagram, drawing a direct comparison to Sinner's Wimbledon run earlier this year. At Wimbledon, Sinner arrived without any competitive grass-court preparation yet still won the title, surviving a five-set scare against Miomir Kecmanovic before cruising through the rest of the draw in straight sets. Mouratoglou stressed that Sinner must stay efficient and keep matches short at Flushing Meadows, avoiding any prolonged battles that could aggravate his knee.
The key difference, of course, is that a lack of match fitness at Wimbledon is very different from carrying a physical injury into a Grand Slam. Sinner does hold the advantage of being top seed, meaning he should not face another top-ten opponent before the fourth round at the earliest. Still, the uncertainty around Carlos Alcaraz's status only adds to the high-stakes atmosphere surrounding the draw.
TennisDraw bracket builders have Sinner penciled in as a top title contender, knee worries and all.
