Sinner sidelined by knee injury, US Open showdown with Alcaraz deferred

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will not meet at the US Open starting Sunday after Sinner was sidelined by a knee injury, postponing their much-anticipated rivalry.

Their rivalry has been repeatedly interrupted: Sinner missed three months in early 2025 while serving a doping-related ban, and Alcaraz was sidelined for four months from mid-April this season with a troublesome wrist. In 2025 the pair met six times across six months, but there has been only one meeting in the nine months since.

Alcaraz has not played a competitive singles match since Barcelona in April and has prepared for Flushing Meadows with two mixed doubles appearances alongside Serena Williams. The seven-time Major champion opens his US Open campaign against Roman Safiullin, who beat Alcaraz on a Paris hard-court in 2023 and reached the Wimbledon fourth round this year, and is on course to meet Ben Shelton in the quarterfinals.

The potential semifinal section for Alcaraz includes Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev. Djokovic lost his lone match in Cincinnati after his Wimbledon semifinal reverse to Sinner, while Medvedev was last in a Major final at the 2024 Australian Open and has been without a trophy since February. With Sinner absent, Alexander Zverev will be the top seed; he arrives after a French Open triumph and a runner-up finish at Wimbledon.

On the women's side, two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, the World No. 1, has wobbled recently and seen her lead cut to less than 450 points. Elena Rybakina is managing an ankle issue that may affect her preparations, while Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula enter New York in impressive form. Wimbledon winner Linda Noskova will seek a follow-up, and Alexandra Eala, the 21-year-old from the Philippines, aims to extend her recent run.

Serena and Venus Williams are scheduled to pair in the doubles draw at the tournament.

The US Open starts Sunday, with the withdrawal of Sinner reshaping the men's seeding and leaving the defending champion to begin his title defence against Roman Safiullin.