Sinner withdraws from US Open due to knee injury, Draper and Rune also out

Jannik Sinner, the world's top-ranked tennis player, has unexpectedly pulled out of the US Open due to a persistent right knee injury, eliminating one of the biggest contenders from the season's final Grand Slam event. The 24-year-old Italian, who clinched his fifth major title at Wimbledon earlier this month, hasn't played since the injury earlier this month.

He had previously withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open and Canadian Open, two crucial hard-court warm-up matches leading up to the New York Grand Slam tournament. Sinner stated in a statement on X: "We have been back on court in Monte Carlo over the last couple of days and have realized that I still need more time to recover from my right knee issue."

This decision comes just a day after world number two Carlos Alcaraz announced his return to competitive tennis at Flushing Meadows, following a four-month absence. As Alcaraz, who defeated Sinner in last year's US Open final, heads into New York as the top-ranked player and one of the favorites for his eighth Grand Slam title, Sinner's withdrawal creates a significant opportunity for the Spaniard.

The US Open, scheduled to run from August 23 to September 13, now enters a new phase without one of its most formidable competitors. Jack Draper, a British player, has also withdrawn from the US Open, following an announcement from the Lawn Tennis Association. The LTA did not specify the nature of Draper's injury, but media reports suggest the 24-year-old has been grappling with a long-term left arm problem.

Draper, who reached a career-high world number four in 2025, had to withdraw from early matches in Montreal and Cincinnati due to his injuries. Ranking 143rd, Draper made his best Grand Slam run at the 2024 US Open, where he reached the semi-finals. Holger Rune, the former world number four, will also miss the tournament due to a serious left Achilles injury.

The 23-year-old, currently ranked 102nd, has not played an official match since October and announced on social media that he and his team decided not to make a Grand Slam his first tournament back. Rune had been training with Alcaraz in Murcia, expressing happiness with his recent progress and improvements.