Sinner, Alcaraz skip Cincinnati Masters, face US Open match-practice concern

The men’s tennis season has taken an unusual turn, with world No. 1 Jannik Sinner becoming the latest top player to withdraw from the Cincinnati Masters.

Sinner has also pulled out of the Canadian Open in Toronto and has not played competitively since successfully defending his Wimbledon title earlier this summer. His withdrawal comes a week after Carlos Alcaraz also opted out of Cincinnati, leaving the Masters 1000 tournament without the world’s top two players when the men’s singles competition begins Saturday.

Why Sinner and Alcaraz are missing Cincinnati

Alcaraz has been sidelined for even longer. His last competitive appearance was at the Barcelona Open in April, where he suffered a wrist injury that kept him out for five months and forced him to miss both the French Open and Wimbledon.

The Spaniard returned to training earlier this summer but decided not to compete in Cincinnati as a precaution while preparing for the US Open.

Sinner, meanwhile, is recovering from a knee problem that has prevented him from returning to competition since his Wimbledon triumph.

“After consulting with my doctors and my team, I have to announce that I need to withdraw from the Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati,” Sinner said in a statement released by Cincinnati Open officials.

“My right knee has been bothering me and even though we have been working hard with my medical team, I have to accept that I’m not ready to compete yet,” he added.

Sinner said he was disappointed to miss the tournament but would now focus on being ready for the US Open.

Sinner, Alcaraz face unusual US Open build-up

Cincinnati is traditionally one of the final major tournaments before the US Open and serves as an important hard-court preparation event for players heading to New York.

The tournament has also featured prominently in the recent rivalry between Sinner and Alcaraz. Sinner won the Cincinnati Masters in 2024 before claiming his maiden US Open title. Alcaraz won the Cincinnati title last year before defeating Sinner in the US Open final.

This year, however, both players will head to New York without competing in either the Canadian Open or Cincinnati.

That raises an intriguing piece of history: no men’s singles player has won the US Open after skipping both the Canadian Open and Cincinnati since 1990.

Lack of match practice a concern

The biggest issue for both players could be a lack of competitive preparation.

Sinner has not played since Wimbledon and could arrive at the US Open without a competitive hard-court match if he does not return before the tournament.

Alcaraz faces an even bigger challenge. The Spaniard has not played a competitive match since April and will enter the US Open after an extended period away from competition.

Neither player is currently expected to compete at the ATP 250 event in Winston-Salem, the final tournament before the US Open.

If that remains the case, both Sinner and Alcaraz will head into the season’s final Grand Slam relying largely on training rather than competitive matches to regain their rhythm.