Jannik Sinner pulls out of US Open after failing to recover from knee injury

Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the US Open after failing to recover fully from his right knee injury. The world No. 1 said recent training showed he needed more time to recover, leaving him disappointed to miss the New York major.Jannik Sinner won't be a part of US Open 2026. Courtesy: ReutersJannik Sinner has withdrawn from the US Open after failing to recover fully from his persistent right knee injury, dealing a major blow to the final Grand Slam of the year. The world No.1 confirmed on Friday that he will miss the tournament after recent training sessions in Monte Carlo showed that he needed more time to regain full fitness.Sinner’s decision comes after a frustrating few weeks in which he has been unable to return to competitive action following his Wimbledon triumph. The Italian had already pulled out of the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open as he continued his recovery, before ultimately deciding that he would not be ready for the New York major.“Even though I have been working hard with my team and my medical staff, we have now had to make the difficult decision that I will not be able to compete at the US Open this year,” Sinner wrote in a post on X.“We have been back on court in Monte Carlo over the last couple of days and have realised that I still need more time to recover from my right knee issue. I’m obviously very sad and disappointed, as New York has a special place in my heart. “I was very much looking forward to coming back and playing in the electric atmosphere in front of the great fans there,” Sinner added.WHO IS CARLOS TABERNER?Carlos Taberner has been handed a late route into the 2026 US Open main draw. Taberner, 29, has a career-high singles ranking of No. 83 and is currently ranked outside the top 300. He turned professional in 2015 and has spent much of his career competing on the ATP Challenger circuit. The US Open will not be unfamiliar territory for Taberner. He competed in the 2025 edition, although he exited in the opening round of the Qualifiers. He also played the Australian Open earlier this year, where he lost to Lorenzo Sonego in the first round.SINNER KEEPS STRUGGLING WITH INJURYSinner’s injury concerns intensified earlier this month when he spent several hours at a clinic in Milan for examinations on his troublesome right knee. Reports said he was at the Physioclinic orthopaedic clinic for around four hours, with the visit adding to concerns over his fitness ahead of the hard-court swing.The withdrawal is particularly significant given Sinner’s recent success. He won his fifth Grand Slam title at Wimbledon last month and was preparing to return to New York, where he won the US Open in 2024.It also means that for the third Grand Slam of the year, at least one of Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz will not be part of the tournament. Alcaraz missed the French Open and Wimbledon because of a right wrist injury before confirming his return for the US Open.With Sinner now absent, Alcaraz enters New York as the highest-ranked player in the draw and one of the leading contenders for the title.- EndsPublished By: sabyasachi chowdhuryPublished On: Aug 21, 2026 20:22 IST