World number one Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open because of a right-knee injury, dealing another blow to his preparations for the U.S. Open later this month.
Tournament organizers announced Sinner’s withdrawal on Sunday. The 24-year-old Italian said he had consulted his doctors and team before deciding that he was not ready to compete.
My right knee has been bothering me and even though we have been working hard with my medical team, I have to accept that I’m not ready to compete yet,” Sinner said in a statement.
Sinner also expressed his disappointment at missing the tournament but said his focus had now shifted toward preparing for the U.S. Open
I’m very disappointed not to be able to play in Cincinnati… I can’t wait to be back next year and I’m now focusing on getting ready for the U.S. Open.”
The withdrawal comes at a particularly important stage of the season. The Cincinnati Open is one of the major hard-court tournaments used by leading players as preparation for the U.S. Open, whose main draw begins on Aug. 30.
Sinner had already withdrawn from the Canadian Open, another major U.S. Open warm-up event. His latest absence therefore means he will enter the final Grand Slam of the season having missed both of the major preparation tournaments in August.
The Italian arrived at this part of the season as the reigning Wimbledon champion. He won his fifth Grand Slam title at Wimbledon last month, further establishing himself as the leading player in men’s tennis.
Cincinnati has also been an important tournament in Sinner’s recent career. He won the title in 2024 and finished runner-up to Carlos Alcaraz in 2025.
His withdrawal also further weakens an already depleted Cincinnati field. Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning U.S. Open champion and last year’s Cincinnati champion, is also absent after withdrawing because of a wrist injury.
The Cincinnati main draw begins on Aug. 13, leaving Sinner with limited competitive opportunities before the U.S. Open. His immediate priority, according to his own statement, is recovery and getting himself ready for New York.
Sinner’s decision is a precautionary fitness move rather than an announcement that he will miss the U.S. Open. Reuters reports that he is now focusing on being ready for the tournament beginning Aug. 30.
