Sinner pulls out of Cincinnati: ‘My knee’s playing up, I’m focusing on the US Open’

After Montreal, it’s Cincinnati’s turn. Jannik Sinner’s build-up to the US Open, having not played a match since the Wimbledon final on 12 July, is becoming even more complicated. The Italian tennis player will, in fact, also miss the second Masters 1000 tournament scheduled on American hard courts, taking place from 13 to 23 August. “After consulting with my doctors and my team, I must announce that I am forced to withdraw from the Cincinnati Masters 1000 tournament. My right knee is causing me problems and, despite the hard work we’ve put in with my medical team, I have to admit that I’m not yet ready to compete,” said the world number one, who does not want to take any risks ahead of the season’s final Grand Slam, which gets underway on 30 August at Flushing Meadows.

The announcement that Sinner has withdrawn – which follows that of Carlos Alcaraz, whose return for the US Open remains highly doubtful – cannot be described as unexpected. Last Tuesday, the Italian champion was spotted at the Physioclinic in Milan, whilst in recent days he has visited J Medical in Turin – his regular clinic – on several occasions, where he will remain throughout next week to undergo checks and treatment. Hence the decision by the player and his team to err on the side of caution.

Jannik will arrive at the New York tournament without having played a single match on hard courts, but ultimately his build-up to Wimbledon was the same – he hadn’t played a single match on grass before arriving in London – and it resulted in a magical repeat performance at Church Road. In all likelihood, Sinner will follow the same pattern he used at the Championships: arriving on site a few days before the tournament begins, getting to grips with the surface and, above all, New York’s humid and sweltering climate, and making the most of the rest period before setting off for the States. With just one goal in mind: to win the US Open once again.