"Something is not working": Jannik Sinner injury highlights wider problem in wide-open ATP ahead of US Open
ATPTuesday, 25 August 2026 at 06:30
Jannik Sinner's withdrawal from the US Open continues to cause reactions and in this case it is very much concern for Adriano Panatta on a broader perspective of the injuries that the top men's stars continue to suffer.
The World No.1 took some time out post winning Wimbledon and it looked for all the will in the world like he would be the one anchoring the US Open charge and not Carlos Alcaraz who has returned to play at Flushing Meadows. But instead Sinner is back home and Alcaraz is in New York.
This right knee problem though has forced Sinner to give up on that charge though and he heads into the latter half of the season not likely to play until Asia and then the Davis Cup and ATP Finals towards the back end so while he has time to recover it is not ideal for a player who semi cut his season short last year.
But this year he will likely have an injury floating over him that could see him more cautious about coming back. "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," said Sinner on X earlier this week.
"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. I’m obviously very sad and disappointed, as New York has a special place in my heart. I was very much looking forward to coming back and playing in the electric atmosphere in front of the great fans there."
Part of a wider problem
Panatta who spoke about the situation on La Domenica Sportiva and the former Roland Garros winner admits he was surprised by the severity of the injury for Sinner as well as that it goes beyond Sinner's case alone. He believes that the current style of players could explain this, with Holger Rune for instance not fully back yet after his achilles injury last year.
It stood out the severity of the amount of play needed from the top names and how they suffer as a result with Draper for instance also still struggling and now it is Sinner.
Jannik Sinner out injured again.
"I didn't expect it. Obviously, he is not yet at his best form and he has already had bad experiences playing in precarious physical conditions," said Panatta during La Domenica Sportiva.
"Playing style matters a lot. Nadal had a more violent and explosive game than Federer, who was the god of tennis. Djokovic also had a more flexible physique and more fluid strokes, so he had fewer physical problems.
"But now, there are too many injuries. Apart from Sinner and Alcaraz, we have had Rune, Berrettini, Musetti, Fritz, all top-10 players who have had major physical problems.
"Something is not working. I think it's the current playing style that pushes players to go too fast."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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