NEW YORK: The US Open has lost its top-ranked star before the tournament even begins, with Jannik Sinner announcing Friday that a persistent right knee injury will keep him out of the year’s final Grand Slam.
The 2024 champion made the difficult decision after testing his fitness on hard courts in Monte Carlo and determining that he still needs more time to recover. The injury has already forced him to miss preparation tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati this month.
Sinner has been managing the knee problem since winning his second Wimbledon title in July. Although he returned to training and worked closely with his team and medical staff, recent sessions showed that he was not yet ready to compete at the highest level.
“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 said in a statement.
The withdrawal is a major blow for the tournament and for Sinner, who was preparing to return to New York as the defending champion. His absence also removes one of the leading contenders from a Grand Slam event where he had hoped to build on his previous success.
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Sinner said the decision was particularly difficult because of his connection with the tournament and its fans.
“I’m obviously very sad and disappointed, as New York has a special place in my heart,” he said. “I was very much looking forward to coming back and playing in the electric atmosphere in front of the great fans there.”
The Italian star had already been forced to skip tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati earlier this month because of the injury. He later resumed training in Monte Carlo to assess whether his knee had recovered sufficiently for the hard-court season.
After several days back on court, Sinner and his medical team concluded that more recovery time was necessary.
“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,” Sinner said.
Sinner is now expected to focus on rehabilitation rather than risk worsening the injury by returning too soon. The decision prioritizes his long-term fitness as he works toward a full recovery and a return to competition.
His withdrawal comes as a significant setback for the world No. 1, who had entered the tournament among the strongest favorites. For Sinner, however, the immediate priority is clear: recover fully before stepping back onto the court.
