New York, August 22: World number one player Jannik Sinner and Britain’s Jack Draper will not participate in the US Open due to injuries.
Sinner has not yet recovered from his knee injury.
Since winning his fifth Grand Slam title at Wimbledon last month, the Italian has not played in any competitive matches. After returning to the practice courts in Monte Carlo, he decided that he needed more time to heal.
Sinner stated, “Even though I have been working hard with my team and medical staff, we have had to make the tough decision that I will not be able to participate in this year’s US Open. We have been back on the court in Monte Carlo for a few days and realized that I still need more time to recover from my right knee issue. I am obviously very sad and disappointed, as New York is very close to my heart.”
This announcement from Sinner came just a day after his main rival, Carlos Alcaraz, confirmed his participation in the event at Flushing Meadows after being sidelined for four months due to a wrist injury. Fans of tennis will continue to be disappointed as two-time Wimbledon champion Sinner and Alcaraz will not compete together in a Grand Slam once again, missing what many consider the sport’s biggest rivalry on the grand stage.
Sinner and Alcaraz have dominated men’s tennis over the past two seasons, winning a total of eight Grand Slam titles in 2024 and 2025. They were both part of three of the four major finals last year and also competed in the ATP Finals at the end of the season.
However, the intensity of their rivalry has not been evident this year; they have faced each other only once in 2026. Sinner defeated the Spanish player in the Monte Carlo final in April, reclaiming the world number one ranking.
Sinner did not face Alcaraz after losing to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semifinals. Since then, Alcaraz has missed the French Open and Wimbledon due to his wrist injury. Sinner aimed to defend his US Open title after reaching the finals last year, where he lost to Alcaraz. However, he later secured his fifth major title by defeating Alexander Zverev at Wimbledon. Draper, too, has been sidelined from the tournament due to a long-standing hand injury, severely impacting his season.