The 2026 US Open faces a significant shake-up as eleven prominent players have withdrawn from the tournament, casting uncertainty over the final Grand Slam of the season.
With the ATP and WTA tours currently competing at the Cincinnati Masters, the last major event before Flushing Meadows, the withdrawal list has surged, highlighting an injury crisis heading into the historic 146th edition of the US Open.
Among the withdrawals, the women’s draw has been hit hardest with nine players pulling out, including notable names such as Victoria Mboko, Hailey Baptiste, and Emma Raducanu. Mboko, ranked world No. 17, and Baptiste, world No. 32, are sidelined by severe knee injuries sustained earlier this year on the clay and grass circuits respectively. Raducanu, ranked 59th, has been absent since June due to a grade four stress fracture in her right shin, forcing her out of the tournament. Additional WTA withdrawals include Jaqueline Cristian (No. 40), Ajla Tomljanovic (No. 93), Laura Siegemund (No. 98), Varvara Gracheva (No. 106), Jil Teichmann (No. 167), and Irina-Camelia Begu (No. 462), all replaced by lower-ranked alternates.
On the men’s side, only two players have officially withdrawn so far: Sebastian Korda and Emilio Nava. Korda, ranked 64th globally, has been sidelined since March due to a back injury that required surgery earlier this month. Nava, ranked No. 108, also pulled out, replaced accordingly by Benjamin Bonzi. Despite these confirmed absences, the men’s draw is overshadowed by doubts surrounding four top ATP stars. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz has not competed since April due to a wrist injury; Jannik Sinner missed the Cincinnati Masters with a knee problem; Jack Draper continues to battle a bone bruise in his left arm, a persistent issue for over a year; and Holger Rune has been out since rupturing his Achilles tendon last October. All four remain on the entry list but their participation is far from guaranteed.
The escalating list of withdrawals threatens to reshape the competitive landscape at the US Open, which runs from Sunday, August 30 to Sunday, September 13. With reigning champions Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka facing fitness questions, the tournament could open up opportunities for emerging contenders and seasoned campaigners alike. The impact of these absences will be closely monitored as the tennis world awaits clarity on the availability of these key players for the final Grand Slam of the year.