World No. 1 Jannik Sinner Withdraws From Cincinnati With Right Knee Injury

Jannik Sinner, the 2024 Cincinnati champion, has withdrawn from the Masters 1000 event due to a right knee issue.

Jannik Sinner officially withdrew from the Cincinnati Open on Sunday, August 9, 2026, citing a persistent right knee injury. The 24-year-old Italian, currently ranked World No. 1, made the decision following extensive consultations with his medical staff. This withdrawal marks his second consecutive absence from a Masters 1000 event, having previously opted out of the tournament in Toronto. Sinner enters this period of rehabilitation as a five-time Grand Slam champion, with his most recent major victory occurring at Wimbledon earlier this summer.

Key details

The 2024 Cincinnati title winner released a formal statement through tournament organizers detailing the physical limitations preventing his participation. "Even though we have been working hard with my medical team, I have to accept that I'm not ready to compete yet," Sinner explained. The Italian athlete has been managing the joint issue since the conclusion of the grass-court season, where he secured his fifth career major trophy. His absence leaves a significant void in the top half of the bracket as the tour moves toward the final Grand Slam of the calendar year.

Medical evaluations determined that the right knee required additional rest despite ongoing treatment protocols initiated after his Wimbledon triumph. The recovery timeline is now centered on the US Open, which is scheduled to begin main draw play on August 30. This gives the top-seeded player approximately 21 days to regain match fitness before arriving in New York. Sinner’s team emphasized that rushing back for the Masters 1000 level could jeopardize his longevity for the remainder of the 2026 season.

Prior to these physical setbacks, the Italian maintained a rigorous schedule throughout the spring and early summer months. He competed in consecutive high-stakes events across Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome. His performance history in Cincinnati includes a championship run in 2024 and a runner-up finish in 2025. During that previous final, he faced Carlos Alcaraz in a match that determined the tournament's outcome before the Spaniard claimed the trophy.

Latest developments

The 2026 Cincinnati field faces further depletion as World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz has also confirmed his withdrawal. The Spaniard is currently sidelined by a lingering wrist injury, preventing him from defending the title he won last year. With the top two players in the ATP rankings absent, the Masters 1000 draw will proceed without the finalists from the 2025 edition. This creates an unprecedented situation where the two most dominant forces in recent men's tennis are both unavailable for the Western & Southern Open.

Sinner’s departure from the entry list impacts the seeding significantly, as the 1,000 ranking points he earned in previous years will now be subject to fluctuation. The Italian star expressed profound disappointment regarding his inability to play in front of the Ohio crowds but reiterated that his primary objective is a full recovery for the hard-court swing in New York. His medical staff will continue to monitor the knee's response to low-impact training over the coming fortnight.

Statistical data from the 2026 season shows that Sinner has been one of the most active players on the circuit until this August hiatus. His withdrawal from both Toronto and Cincinnati represents the first time in his career that he has missed two back-to-back Masters 1000 events due to the same orthopedic concern. The focus now shifts entirely to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where the World No. 1 hopes to add a sixth Grand Slam title to his growing resume. Fans and analysts will be watching closely to see if the three-week window provides sufficient time for the Italian to return to his peak competitive form.