Jannik Sinner out of US Open, but Carlos Alcaraz confirms return after injury layoff
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Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz celebrating winning the US Open in 2025 after defeating Italy’s Jannik Sinner.
PHOTO: AFP
- Carlos Alcaraz will return to competitive tennis at the US Open after a four-month wrist injury layoff.
- He missed several major tournaments, including the French Open and Wimbledon, but has gradually increased training intensity.
- Alcaraz aims to defend his 2022 US Open title, where he became the youngest world No. 1 player.
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NEW YORK – World No. 1 Jannik Sinner ruled himself out of the US Open on Aug 21, saying he will not compete at the last Grand Slam of 2026 due to a persistent knee injury, a day after the five-time Grand Slam winner’s rival Carlos Alcaraz confirmed his return.
“Even though I have been working hard with my team and my medical staff, we have now had to make the difficult decision that I will not be able to compete at the US Open this year,” the 25-year-old Italian said in a statement on X.
“We have been back on court in Monte Carlo over the last couple of days and have realised that I still need more time to recover from my right knee issue.”
Alcaraz, meanwhile, will be ending a more than four-month absence caused by a wrist injury, in a bid to defend his title in New York.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion confirmed on Aug 20 that he will play the Aug 30-Sept 13 tournament after withdrawing from the Barcelona Open in April and missing the French Open, Wimbledon and the North American hard-court events in Toronto and Cincinnati.
The 23-year-old Spaniard had initially targeted Cincinnati, where he won in 2025, for his comeback but opted to give his wrist more time to recover.
He has gradually increased his workload in recent weeks and trained with Denmark’s Holger Rune in Murcia, Spain, as he tested the injury at higher intensity.
His return was also given a football-style announcement by transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano on Instagram, who posted “Here we go!” alongside confirmation that Alcaraz would be back at the US Open.
New York holds particular significance for Alcaraz. He won his first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows in 2022, becoming the youngest player to reach world No. 1 in the ATP rankings.
The 2026 US Open purse will reach US$108 million (S$137 million), representing the largest player compensation package in the sport’s history.
Winners of the singles main draw will take home US$5.5 million, according to a statement on Aug 20 from the United States Tennis Association (USTA). Competitors in the first round will receive US$140,000. Overall compensation for the 2026 tournament is up 20 per cent from 2025, according to USTA.
The jump in pay comes during a years-long battle between the four Grand Slam tournaments and professional players, who have been pushing for a greater share of competition revenue, arguing that prize money has not kept pace with the sport’s financial growth. Players are also seeking better benefits and greater representation in decisions affecting compensation and welfare.
To address player concerns, the four Majors announced the formation of a Grand Slam player advisory council set to launch at the 2026 US Open. The group will focus on player input involving sporting matters at the four Grand Slam tournaments including pay, governance and decision-making, according to the statement.
USTA said it would invest an initial US$2 million in a new player support programme aimed at bringing a range of benefits for mid-career life events and retirement transitions. The investment will be split equally between women’s and men’s players, USTA said.
The 2026 US Open is shaping up to be one of the most financially successful, as ticket prices soar and once-cheap grounds passes sell for prices in the triple digits. Some grounds tickets sold via Ticketmaster were listed as low as US$65 when they went on sale, according to the tournament website.
“The idea that a day-one ground pass is US$363 is absurd,” billionaire investor and tennis fan Bill Ackman said in a post on X on Aug 19.
“The USTA’s mission is to promote the sport of tennis. How is a US$363 ground pass consistent with this mission?”
The USTA has long pushed its fan week, leading up to the start of the US Open, as a way for fans to access the grounds for free, and view qualifying rounds and practice sessions.
Still, long-time fans and attendees of the Queens, New York, event worry about the prospect of being priced out of the year’s final Grand Slam, with some questioning the event’s increased catering to a more affluent crowd. REUTERS
