World No. 1 Jannik Sinner will miss the season’s final Grand Slam, boosting Carlos Alcaraz’s title hopes in New York.

World number one Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the US Open because of a persistent right knee injury, dealing a major blow to the season’s final Grand Slam. The Italian star confirmed his decision on Friday after failing to recover sufficiently to compete in New York.

The 24-year-old Sinner has been sidelined since suffering the knee problem earlier this month. His recovery has already forced him to miss both the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open, which were expected to serve as important hard-court preparations for the US Open.

Sinner, who won his fifth Grand Slam title at Wimbledon last month, said he had been working closely with his team and medical staff but ultimately needed additional recovery time. He had recently returned to training on court in Monte Carlo, where it became clear that the injury had not healed enough for him to participate.

His withdrawal significantly changes the complexion of the US Open draw. Sinner was among the leading favourites for the championship and was expected to be one of the biggest threats to Carlos Alcaraz.

The timing of the announcement is particularly notable because Alcaraz confirmed his participation in the tournament just one day earlier. The Spaniard, ranked world number two, is returning to competitive action after a four-month absence and will now enter Flushing Meadows as the highest-ranked player in the field.

Alcaraz defeated Sinner in last year’s US Open final and will now have one fewer major rival as he attempts to add another Grand Slam title to his collection. The tournament is scheduled to run from August 23 to September 13.

Sinner is not the only notable withdrawal. British player Jack Draper has also been ruled out of the US Open, with the Lawn Tennis Association confirming his absence shortly after the Italian’s announcement.

Although the LTA did not reveal Draper’s injury, reports indicate that the 24-year-old has been dealing with a long-term problem affecting his left arm. Draper reached a career-high world ranking of fourth in 2025 but has endured an injury-hit period.

Currently ranked 143rd, Draper exited early at the Montreal and Cincinnati tournaments. His best Grand Slam result remains his semi-final appearance at the 2024 US Open.

The absence of both Sinner and Draper leaves the tournament without two prominent names, while Alcaraz’s path to another Grand Slam crown appears considerably more open.