10 big names already missing from the US Open with 10 days to go: Mboko, Raducanu and Korda out

The US Open is still 10 days away, but some of the biggest names who were expected to appear in New York are already gone.

Victoria Mboko, Emma Raducanu, Sebastian Korda and several other notable players have withdrawn from the final Grand Slam of the season, with injuries and fitness problems accounting for many of the absences.

For some, the withdrawals are particularly painful. Mboko was emerging as one of the most dangerous young players on the WTA Tour, Raducanu had been building momentum after reaching the Queen's final, while Korda had only recently returned to the world's top 20 before another injury interrupted his season. And with 10 days still to go, this list could yet grow.

Perhaps the most significant absence so far in terms of what she could have brought to New York is Victoria Mboko. The 19-year-old has been sidelined since suffering an injury during the grass-court swing, forcing her to miss Wimbledon and subsequently withdraw from the North American hard-court swing.

Mboko was unable to defend her Canadian Open title and later pulled out of Cincinnati, with her US Open withdrawal now extending her absence into the final Grand Slam of the season. Her ranking has also taken a hit during her time away, with several weeks outside competition dropping her from the top 10 to No. 17.

When healthy, however, Mboko has already shown that she belongs among the most dangerous young players on the WTA Tour. She reached three finals in 2026 and won two titles during the latter part of 2025, briefly breaking into the top 10 in the process.

Had she arrived in New York fit and playing at her best, Mboko would have been a genuine candidate for a deep run, potentially reaching the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time and even challenging for her maiden major quarterfinal. Instead, the Canadian remains sidelined with no confirmed return date.

Hailey Baptiste was another American enjoying a significant breakthrough before injury brought her season to an abrupt end. The 24-year-old began 2026 ranked No. 70 before climbing rapidly and reaching a career-high No. 25 several months later.

Her rise included one of the biggest wins of her career against Aryna Sabalenka at the Madrid Open, as well as a run to the semifinals in which she saved six match points. Baptiste appeared to be establishing herself as a serious presence on the WTA Tour before suffering an injury during Roland Garros that ultimately required surgery.

That injury has now ruled her out of her home Grand Slam, meaning she will have to wait until 2027 for another opportunity to compete at Flushing Meadows.

“The most heartbreaking end to the best season of my life,” Baptiste wrote on Instagram. “Still waiting to wake up from this nightmare. In my head, all I can think is why, why, and why. Why me?” Her absence also means that she will begin rebuilding her ranking next season while facing an important early-year points defense.

One of the more recent withdrawals was Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who was expected to arrive in New York as one of the seeded players. The Spaniard has been dealing with a back problem that has kept him away from competition since his last appearance at the Canadian Open.

Davidovich Fokina reached the quarterfinals in Montreal before physical issues once again interrupted his season. The latest setback is particularly frustrating given the progress he had made earlier in 2026, when he appeared closer than ever to finally breaking into the top 10.

The Spaniard reached a career-high No. 14 ranking and captured his maiden ATP title at the Mallorca Open, ending a difficult run of five consecutive defeats in finals. His progress had put him in position to make another significant step forward during the hard-court swing. Instead, another physical problem has forced him out of the US Open and left his return date uncertain.

Jaqueline Cristian has also been forced to miss the final Grand Slam of the season after undergoing knee surgery. The Romanian has enjoyed one of the best periods of her career over the past two seasons, breaking into the top 50 for the first time last year before climbing as high as No. 28 in 2026.

The setback is particularly unfortunate because Cristian had established herself as a much more consistent presence at the highest level after years of gradual progression. Her latest surgery is also not the first major knee problem of her career, with a previous operation in 2022 keeping her out for eight months. There is currently no confirmed timetable for her return, although the latest setback makes a comeback during the remainder of the 2026 season increasingly unlikely.

Emma Raducanu has been out of action since reaching the final of the Queen's Club Championships, the third final of her career and her first at WTA 500 level. It was one of the most encouraging weeks of the Briton's recent career, but the run came at a significant physical cost and was followed by her withdrawal from Wimbledon one week later.

The situation then became more concerning when Raducanu was diagnosed with a stress fracture in her right lower leg. She has now gone roughly two months without competing and will not be ready for the US Open, where she had been expected to continue rebuilding her ranking.

The latest injury represents another setback for a former top-10 player who had spent much of the previous two seasons attempting to rediscover her best level. Raducanu had appeared to be moving toward another climb up the rankings after several promising performances, only for another physical issue to interrupt that progress.

She is expected to target a return during the Asian swing, although there is currently no firm indication of when she will be ready to compete again.

The American has now been away from the courts for five months following the injury he suffered during the Sunshine Double. Korda's last victory came against none other than Carlos Alcaraz, who was the world No. 1 at the time, before he lost his next match to young Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

Korda has remained sidelined ever since, continuing a frustrating stretch in which injuries have repeatedly prevented him from staying on the Tour for an extended period.

The 26-year-old has now undergone back surgery and will miss the remainder of the 2026 season. After reaching a career-high No. 15 earlier this year, Korda will lose a significant portion of his ranking points and face another ranking rebuild in 2027. He could, however, benefit from a protected ranking that would allow him to enter major tournaments during the early stages of his comeback.

Another player who has been repeatedly hampered by injuries throughout her career, the Australian ended her 2025 season a few weeks ago after revealing that she had been “battling some small injuries.” Tomljanovic subsequently decided to take time away from competition and end her season early, with the goal of returning at full fitness in 2027.

Tomljanovic's absence is particularly notable at the US Open, where she produced a memorable run to the quarterfinals in 2022. During that campaign, she defeated none other than Serena Williams in the third round, in what became the final singles match of the 23-time Grand Slam champion's career.

At 33, Tomljanovic is entering a later stage of her career, and returning to her best level after another lengthy absence will be a significant challenge.

The veteran has also decided to end her season early following her defeat at Wimbledon. A combination of physical problems and a desire to reset ahead of 2027 led Siegemund to step away from competition for the remainder of 2026.

Siegemund recently confirmed that she would not play the US Open. Although she remains on the entry list, she has already announced that her season is over.

Her absence will be particularly significant in doubles. Siegemund has been a regular contender at the biggest tournaments and is a former Grand Slam doubles champion alongside Vera Zvonareva. She will therefore need to find a new partner if she returns to Flushing Meadows in the future.

The American has been a regular presence at the US Open in recent years, receiving several wildcards, but this time he had earned direct entry into the main draw. However, an undisclosed injury will prevent him from competing in New York.

Nava won a Challenger title in Germany this year and also reached a Challenger final in Oeiras earlier in the season, results that helped him return to the top 100. His withdrawal is another setback for a player who had been building momentum and earning his place in the Grand Slam field through his results.

The three-time Grand Slam champion did not qualify for direct entry based on his ranking and currently remains among the alternates for the tournament. Wawrinka could therefore miss what may be his final Grand Slam appearance, particularly given that he has indicated that 2026 will be his final season.

The Swiss was not among the seven wildcards already announced by the tournament organizers, while he is also not currently entered in qualifying. That leaves his US Open status uncertain.

The final wildcard could still go to Wawrinka, while additional withdrawals from the main draw could also create a path through the alternates. For now, however, nothing is confirmed, leaving the former world No. 3 outside the main draw, qualifying and the first seven wildcard selections.