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Sinner withdraws from Cincinnati Open with knee injury
World No 1 hopes to be fit for US Open later this month
Tobia Marenghi420 wordsEdition №79Monday, 10 August 2026 — Edition № 79
World number one Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from this week's Cincinnati Open because of a right knee injury, according to the BBC and the Guardian. The Italian announced the decision on Sunday, saying he was "not ready to compete" after consulting with his doctors.
The 24-year-old, who has dominated the men's tour over the past two seasons, said he still expects to be fit for the US Open, which begins on 30 August. The Guardian reported that Sinner's team is taking a cautious approach to avoid aggravating the injury ahead of the season's final Grand Slam.
The withdrawal is a significant blow to the Cincinnati tournament, which has become a key tune-up event for the US Open. Sinner was the defending champion at the Ohio Masters 1000 event, and his absence reshapes the draw in the final hard-court warm-up before New York.
For Italian tennis, the timing is delicate. Sinner has carried the weight of a nation's expectations since his breakthrough, and his fitness is now the central question of the late-summer hard-court swing. The BBC noted that Sinner's withdrawal comes after a demanding clay and grass season that saw him reach the latter stages of both Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
The right knee has been a recurring concern for Sinner, who has managed his schedule carefully to protect his body during a gruelling tour. The Guardian reported that the decision to skip Cincinnati was made after consultation with his medical team, with the US Open as the clear priority.
The broader context is a crowded calendar that has drawn criticism from players across the tour. Sinner's cautious approach reflects a broader trend among top players to prioritise Grand Slams over Masters 1000 events, a shift that has reshaped the rhythm of the professional season and left tournaments like Cincinnati fighting for star power.
Sinner's absence also opens the door for his rivals. With the world number one out of the draw, players like the chasing pack in the ATP rankings will see a clearer path to the Cincinnati title, and a chance to build momentum ahead of Flushing Meadows. For Italian fans, the hope is that the precautionary withdrawal is exactly that — precautionary — and that Sinner arrives in New York at full strength.
The US Open remains the target. Sinner has made no secret of his ambition to add more Grand Slam titles to his collection, and the hard courts of New York suit his game. The Guardian quoted Sinner's camp as saying the decision was difficult but necessary, with the long-term goal of competing deep into the second week at Flushing Meadows.