Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will not compete at the Cincinnati Masters, and their participation in the US Open is in question, which could be a major opportunity for Novak Djokovic in his pursuit of a record title.
The last Masters tournament before the US Open, the one in Cincinnati starting on August 13, 2026, will be without Novak Djokovic's two biggest rivals. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have withdrawn, and their condition casts doubt on the fourth Grand Slam of the season, which begins in New York on August 30.
Jannik Sinner, who won Wimbledon this season, has canceled all scheduled appearances since claiming that title. He first skipped Montreal and now Cincinnati. According to Sportske novosti, the Italian suffered a collapse on court at Roland Garros, but tests showed no cause for concern. However, upon arriving in the U.S., he began experiencing knee issues, leading to further examinations and his decision to withdraw from tournaments to be fully ready for New York.
The situation with Carlos Alcaraz is even more uncertain. The Spaniard has not played since mid-April, when he injured his right wrist during a first-round match in Barcelona against Otte Virtanen. Since then, he has missed all tournaments, including Roland Garros and Wimbledon. His entry for the US Open still stands, but reports on his condition are contradictory.
According to some reports, Alcaraz is training normally and is fully fit, and he will defend his title in New York, while other news is less optimistic, with some suggesting that an announcement could be made in which Alcaraz would withdraw from all events for the rest of the calendar year.
Novak Djokovic is closely watching all of this, having extended his break after his Wimbledon exit. The Serbian tennis player will use Cincinnati as a warm-up for the US Open, where his main mission is to win a 25th Grand Slam title. It was already clear that Sinner and Alcaraz are in a league of their own, but it seems that Alexander Zverev, who won Roland Garros, is also currently hard to catch for Djokovic.
Zverev appeared in Montreal as the only one of the world's top four players, but he lasted just one match. He lost in three sets to Tallon Griekspoor. If Sinner and Alcaraz do not show up at the US Open, or are not in ideal shape, it would significantly boost Djokovic's chances, although Zverev would remain a serious contender.
The numerous withdrawals at this stage of the season are partly due to the change in the duration of ATP 1000 tournaments, which are now extended to ten days. This demands more energy from the top players whose calendars are already packed. Djokovic is one of those who loudly complains about the increasing demands, and the new situations where the best regularly withdraw from tournaments ahead of the US Open could further stir up this topic.
There are still three weeks until the start of the US Open, and according to current entries that have not yet been withdrawn, everyone should be heading to chase the last Grand Slam of the season. However, it is quite risky to claim that Alcaraz will appear in New York after four months out and battling an unpleasant wrist injury. Sinner is more likely to play, but his withdrawal from Cincinnati suggests that his knee issues are not trivial. Djokovic and Zverev, at least for now, have no reported problems.
