World No. 1 player Jannik Sinner and Britain's Jack Draper have been ruled out of the US Open due to injury. Sinner is suffering from a knee problem, while Draper is struggling with a long-term arm injury.
US Open 2026: Men's tennis has suffered a major setback before the upcoming US Open. World number-1 player Jannik Sinner and British star tennis player Jack Draper have withdrawn their names from the tournament due to injury. Due to the absence of both the players, the equation of this Grand Slam to be held in New York has changed a lot. While Sinner has been troubled by a knee problem for some time, Draper has been struggling with an arm injury for a long time. Sinner's withdrawal from the US Open is also important because he is one of the most successful young players of the current era. The Italian has performed consistently at the Grand Slam level over the years and his rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz has been one of the most talked about in men's tennis.
Sinner took a difficult decision due to knee injury
25-year-old Jannik Sinner said that he worked hard with his team and medical staff to recover from the injury, but currently he is not in a position to compete in the US Open. He described this decision as difficult and disappointing.
Sinner has not competed in any competitive match since winning the Wimbledon title in July. Recently he started practicing on the court again in Monte Carlo, but during practice he realized that his right knee still needed more time to fully heal.
Sinner expressed disappointment at being left out of the tournament, calling New York a special place for him. His absence will have a direct impact on the US Open men's singles draw, as he was among the major contenders for the tournament.
Won US Open title in 2024
Sinner won the second Grand Slam title of his career in 2024 by winning the US Open. After this he continued to perform well in New York. Last year, he once again reached the finals of the US Open, but this time he had to face defeat against Carlos Alcaraz.
Sinner also performed brilliantly at Wimbledon this year, defeating Alexander Zverev in the All England Club final to win his fifth Grand Slam singles title. However, injury prevented her competitive return since Wimbledon.
With his exit, hopes of seeing another big clash with Alcaraz in the US Open are gone for now. Alcaraz had announced a day before Sinner's exit that he would participate in the New York tournament.
Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry suffered a setback
The rivalry between Sinner and Alcaraz has been one of the most fascinating storylines in men's tennis in recent years. Both players almost completely dominated Grand Slam titles in 2024 and 2025.
These two stars performed brilliantly in all four Grand Slam tournaments in a row and gave birth to a new generation rivalry in men's tennis. Their clash has long been anticipated by fans as the next great rivalry in modern tennis.
But injuries have affected this match many times. Due to Sinner's absence from the US Open, this time fans will not get a chance to see a possible match between the two players.
Jack Draper also out of the tournament due to injury
Britain's Jack Draper has also decided to withdraw from the US Open due to injury. 24-year-old Draper has been troubled by a problem in his left arm for a long time. His progress was hampered after he was diagnosed with bone bruising in his serving arm.
At one time, Draper was close to the top five players in the world rankings and was considered among the players who could challenge the dominance of Sinner and Alcaraz. However, the injury badly affected his form.
Draper showed great signs by winning the biggest title of his career in Indian Wells. After this he also traveled to the finals of Madrid Open. After these performances, great success was expected from him in Grand Slam tournaments.
Played only 16 matches in last 12 months
The severity of Draper's injury can be gauged from the fact that he has played only 16 competitive matches in the last 12 months. He has been out of all four Grand Slam tournaments this year.
Persistent injuries have affected both his ranking and competitive rhythm. The decision to pull out of the US Open is another big blow for her, as the hard courts of New York are considered suited to her game.
Draper reached the semi-finals against Sinner at the 2024 US Open. Sinner had won that match and made it to the finals. Therefore, this time too, with the presence of both the players in the tournament, the fans were expected to refresh the memories of their old matches.
Pressure will increase on Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz will have extra attention at the US Open in Sinner's absence. The Spanish players will return to the tournament after an absence of four months. His wrist injury kept him away from competitive tennis for a long time.
Alcaraz had won the title by defeating Sinner in the last US Open. Now, with Sinner not playing, he will once again be among the biggest contenders of the tournament. However, after a long injury, his fitness and match practice will also be a topic of discussion.
US Open title match begins and opens
With the absence of Sinner and Draper, the US Open men's singles match looks more open than before. Apart from Alcaraz, many experienced and young players can present their claim for the title.
Sinner's exclusion will also affect the top ranking equation of the tournament. Draper's absence is disappointing for British tennis fans, as he has become one of the leading faces of British tennis both domestically and internationally.
The injuries to both players also show how important fitness has become in the extremely busy calendar of modern tennis. Frequent tournaments, long travels and tough matches put a lot of stress on the players' bodies.
For now, Sinner's goal will be to return to the court fully fit, while Draper will also focus on recovering from his arm problem. The absence of both the stars from the US Open may reduce the shine of the tournament, but it has definitely opened the way for the other players to win the Grand Slam title.