Sinner Rules Out US Open, Zverev Steps Up as Top Seed

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner has officially withdrawn from the 2026 US Open, ending any remaining hope of seeing the defending champion take the court at Flushing Meadows this year. The 25-year-old Italian confirmed on Friday that a persistent right knee injury — which has kept him sidelined since his Wimbledon triumph in July — still requires more recovery time. It is the first Grand Slam Sinner has missed since his major debut at the 2019 US Open.

A Knee That Would Not Heal

Sinner won Wimbledon for the second consecutive year in July but immediately ran into trouble with his right knee in the days that followed. He was forced to skip the National Bank Open in Canada and then the Cincinnati Masters while undergoing rehabilitation in Europe. After returning to the practice court in Monte Carlo recently, the sessions made clear that the knee was not ready for competitive tennis. A member of his team told BBC Sport that surgery is not required, but the timeline for a return remains open-ended.

"I'm obviously very sad and disappointed, as New York has a special place in my heart," Sinner said in his withdrawal statement. "I was very much looking forward to coming back and playing in the electric atmosphere in front of the great fans there. I still need more time to recover from my right knee issue." The Italian won his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2024 and had been chasing a first defence of that crown.

Zverev Leads a Reshuffled Draw

Alexander Zverev steps into the top-seed slot, a role the German will be eager to convert into his long-awaited first Grand Slam title. Zverev was runner-up at the 2024 US Open — beaten in the final by Sinner himself — and arrives in New York carrying strong motivation. Carlos Alcaraz is seeded second, with Felix Auger-Aliassime — who has been in impressive form throughout the summer — taking the third seed. Novak Djokovic is fourth.

American contenders will fancy their chances with the world No. 1 absent. Ben Shelton, a crowd favourite at home, and Taylor Fritz, who finished runner-up at last year's edition, are among those who will sense an opportunity. The reshuffled seedings effectively make the draw the most open it has been in several years.

Moustached Alcaraz cruises past Cerundolo in Shanghai opener

A Record Purse and High Stakes at Flushing Meadows

The 2026 US Open is offering a record singles prize of $5.5 million — the highest in the tournament's history. Qualifying is already under way on the outside courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, with the 128-player main draw beginning on Sunday, 30 August. Without the undisputed world No. 1, the question of who lifts the trophy on the final weekend of the Grand Slam season is entirely open.

Return Targeted for the Asian Swing

Sinner's camp is aiming for a comeback during the October hard-court events in Asia — the China Open in Beijing and the Shanghai Masters — as the earliest realistic targets. If those plans hold, he will have enough ranking points in reserve to remain No. 1 through the ATP Finals in Turin in November, though results at Flushing Meadows will affect that calculation. His reign at the top of the rankings continues from a treatment table in Europe; in New York, the season's final Slam belongs to someone else to claim.