After weeks of speculation, Jannik Sinner finally confirmed that he would not be playing the Cincinnati Open due to an issue in his right knee.

“After consulting with my doctors and my team, I have to announce that I need to withdraw from the Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati,” he wrote in statement shared by the tournament.

“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.

“I’m very disappointed not to be able to play in Cincinnati and wish Bob [Moran] and his whole team a great and successful event.I can’t wait to be back next year, and I’m now focusing on getting ready for the US Open.”

While fans have understandably started to worry about Sinner’s fitness, there has been a positive update by an Italian tennis legend.

Speaking to Gazzetta, Paolo Bertolucci offered his thoughts on Sinner’s decision to withdraw from the Cincinnati Open.

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“The news, which had actually been in the air for a couple of days, of Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal from the Cincinnati Masters 1000 should not, in my opinion, be read as a warning bell about the near future,” said Bertolucci.

“But rather as the thoughtful arrival at a choice aimed at protecting the player and enabling him to face the US Open, which will begin in twenty days, in full physical and psychological condition: and we know how much it matters, in the delicate balances of his perfect machine, to tackle competitive appointments without the slightest shadow on the overall state of his health.

“The painful setback at Roland Garros has undoubtedly altered Jannik’s and his team’s approach to the troubles that can cyclically strike top-level players, to the point of focusing attention on complete healing and resolving the immediate problem, even at the cost of skipping tournaments of great prestige.

“In short, the world number one’s priority right now is to show up at the New York Slam fully recovered from the right knee injury that has been dogging him these past weeks.”

Bertolucci also believes Carlos Alcaraz’s current absence is one of the key reasons why Sinner has decided not to play a tournament before the US Open.

Alcaraz has been out since April and he is the only real challenger for Sinner’s world No 1 spot at the minute.

“Secondly, it’s clear that his ranking situation, with number one practically assured from here through the end of the season, and the temporary difficulties of his main rival Alcaraz—who’s been absent since April and faces the uncertainty of a still-delayed comeback—advise against taking risks that could jeopardize not only the US Open but also the autumn indoor season culminating in the Finals in Turin.

“On the contrary, the justified caution with which Carlitos is proceeding is proof that there’s no need to play the hero if rushing back can heavily impact the rest of a season or even an entire career. So, we expect a top-form Sinner at the American Slam, with just one uncertainty, at least at the start: the lack of matches played and thus of competitive tests to verify his overall condition.”

Despite Sinner’s lack of warm-up for the US Open, the Italian legend still believes Sinner will perform will at the Flushing Meadows Grand Slam.

“Certainly, Jannik would have preferred to string together a few matches before New York, especially since fifty days will pass from his Wimbledon final win to his debut on Arthur Ashe—not the scant three weeks that separated Roland Garros from the London Slam, a period in which he chose not to play on grass, and thus with a different mental predisposition.

“Reiterating that the urgency is to recover fully from the injury, it must be said that hard courts remain without doubt the surface he loves playing on most, and the one where his adaptability shines brightest: so it will take him very little to regain the feel of the court and then of his game.

“Obviously, without the feedback of direct matchups before the US Open, the tournament’s opening week could prove a bit tricky, especially if he finds himself facing seasoned opponents comfortable on fast courts, but the level he showed in March on the hard courts of Indian Wells and Miami, and then even on the Wimbledon grass, gives him such a wide edge over the rest of the field that he’ll be able to handle any obstacles that arise in the early stages of the American campaign.

“In this regard, knowing his almost obsessive meticulousness in preparation, I’m convinced that Sinner, once in New York, will use the ten days of prep to train against solid, strong players functional to a quick recovery of match sensations, perhaps setting up three-out-of-five matches with them.”

Sinner has won the US Open just once, in 2024, and he reached the final at last year’s event, but he lost it to Alcaraz.