Why did Jannik Sinner withdraw from 2026 Cincinnati Open?
(Courtesy : @janniksin/Instagram)
The Italian will enter the US Open without any hard-court preparation for the first time
Jannik Sinner’s build-up to the 2026 US Open has hit a snag. The World No. 1 has pulled out of the upcoming Cincinnati Open with a right knee injury, confirming the news in a short statement released through the tournament and the ATP.
He said his knee had been bothering him for a while and that despite working closely with his medical team, he wasn’t yet fit enough to compete, adding that he was “not ready to compete yet” and was now shifting his focus to getting right for New York.
It has been an interesting season so far for the Italian. He came into the Australian Open chasing a third straight title there, only to be denied by Novak Djokovic in a thrilling five-set semi-final that ended his three-peat bid.
He responded by going on a sensational run which will be remembered for a long time, sweeping five straight Masters 1000 titles including Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome, thereby completing the Career Golden Masters and stretching his win streak to 30 matches.
Related: US Open 2026: Jannik Sinner & Carlos Alcaraz outfits leaked; See pics
Then came the wobble at the French Open as he suffered a shocking second-round exit against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, ending his run of nine straight major finals. He bounced back immediately & incredibly by defending his Wimbledon crown with a win over Alexander Zverev in the final.
On his strongest surface and with Carlos Alcaraz still sidelined, Sinner looked set to keep rolling through the North American hard-court swing.
Instead, he’s now skipped both Montreal and Cincinnati. As last year’s Cincinnati runner-up, he stood to defend 650 ranking points this week, which he will now lose.
Related: Why did Carlos Alcaraz withdraw from 2026 Cincinnati Open?
That leaves a noticeably thinner ATP Masters field in Mason, Ohio. With both Sinner and Alcaraz absent, Djokovic and Zverev step up as the headline names, alongside Taylor Fritz, Felix Auger-Aliassime and a chasing pack eager to make the most of the openings left behind by tennis’s two biggest stars.
Why did Jannik Sinner withdraw from 2026 Cincinnati Open?
Sinner has pulled out of the ATP 1000 tournament due to a right knee injury.
When will Jannik Sinner next be in action?
The Italian is expected to directly return to action at the upcoming 2026 US Open, starting from August 23.
How many tournaments has Jannik Sinner missed since defending his title at 2026 Wimbledon Championships?
Including the upcoming Cincinnati Open, Sinner has now missed three tournaments—Washington Open, Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open.
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Aniruddh Seshadri Iyer is a passionate sports journalist at Khel Now, specializing in tennis and Olympic sports. An engineer by training, he found his storytelling passion through iconic Grand Slam and Olympic moments. Known for sharp analysis and insightful coverage, he draws inspiration from Novak Djokovic’s resilience. Outside journalism, he enjoys reading, traveling, and playing the guitar.