The 2026 US Open has started its main draw, and one more former finalist has now joined the list of players stepping away from the season’s final major.

The 146th US Open opened on Sunday 30 August and will finish with the men’s singles final on Sunday 13 August. As the last stop of the North American summer hard-court season, the tournament is being staged at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York City.

Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka return as the defending singles champions, with both players having claimed their second US Open titles last year.

Jannik Sinner, the 2024 champion and 2025 runner-up, withdrew before this year’s event because of a right knee injury. The ATP world No 1 has not played since winning his fifth Grand Slam title at Wimbledon last month.

Casper Ruud is the latest name to leave the draw. The former world No 2 and three-time Grand Slam finalist became the 12th man and 21st player overall to withdraw from the US Open. The 27-year-old Norwegian pulled out soon after play began on Sunday after a back injury forced him to retire in his opening match at the Cincinnati Masters.

Ruud, who finished runner-up to Alcaraz at the 2022 US Open, confirmed the news on Instagram.

“Unfortunately, my back hasn’t healed as quickly as we had hoped,” Ruud wrote.

“We’ve been optimistic that I would recover in time, but my team and I have decided that we need to think long term and give my body the time it needs.

“I’m very sad to announce that I have to withdraw from this year’s US Open singles event. It’s never easy to miss a Grand Slam, but I know this is the right decision.”

“I’ll take the time I need to recover properly and come back stronger. Thank you for all the support.”

Ruud, ranked world No 20, is the second highest ranked man to withdraw after Sinner.

The women’s withdrawal list also includes Victoria Mboko, Hailey Baptiste, Jaqueline Cristian, Emma Raducanu, Irina-Camelia Begu, Jil Teichmann, Ajla Tomljanovic, Laura Siegemund and Varvara Gracheva.

Jannik Sinner’s surprise withdrawal from the 2026 US Open has been linked to a knee problem that has kept him off court since Wimbledon.

The world No 1 has not competed since beating Alexander Zverev in four sets to win the Wimbledon final last month. After later missing the Canadian Open, Sinner said a right knee issue had been “bothering” him when he announced he would also skip the Cincinnati Open.

Last week, he confirmed that the same problem would rule him out of New York, saying he needed additional time before returning.

“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 wrote.

“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.”

A report from Sky Sport Italy has now given a clearer picture of the problem, describing it as “extra-articular tendon inflammation” in Sinner’s right knee. The report added that it is “the least serious type” of knee tendon inflammation and said it is mainly treated through rest and physical therapy.

The same report noted that attempting to play the US Open would not have been the right call. “Trying to play wouldn’t have been impossible, but it was certainly not advisable considering the rest of the season and especially the future,” it stated.

Sky Sport Italy also said a return for Beijing and Shanghai is “the primary option on the table” for the five-time major winner.

Sinner is the reigning China Open champion, and the 2026 Beijing ATP 500 begins on 30 September, giving him more time to recover. He has continued treatment at JMedical in Turin this week.

Alexander Zverev has been chosen over Novak Djokovic and Arthur Fils by the Sky Sports Tennis panel as the leading pick for the 2026 US Open, while defending champion Carlos Alcaraz received only one vote.

With world No 1 Jannik Sinner absent from the main draw at Flushing Meadows because of a knee injury, Zverev is now the top seed. He sits ahead of Alcaraz, with Felix Auger-Aliassime and Djokovic next in the draw order.

Under ordinary circumstances, Alcaraz would be expected to start as the clear favourite for a third New York title. This year, though, the picture is less straightforward. The world No 3 has not played a competitive singles match since April after injuring his wrist at the Barcelona Open, a setback that forced him to miss both the French Open and Wimbledon. His medical team has cleared him to compete.

Even so, the panel did not back him. Three of the six pundits selected Zverev, two chose Djokovic, two went with Auger-Aliassime and only Naomi Cavaday voted for Alcaraz.

“Surely he’s the favourite coming into the tournament!? As long as he’s fit and healthy then I think he’s going to be absolutely fine,” she said.

“Almost always with the multiple Slam champions, whether it’s been Serena Williams or Rafael Nadal, or whoever it is… whenever they turn up, you go ‘Oh yeah, they’re just exactly how they’ve always been’. Maybe it takes a match or two to get there, but I’m confident he’s going to be great.”

Zverev, who won the French Open in June, was supported by Tim Henman, Laura Robson and Martina Navratilova. Henman pointed to the German’s improved level over the past year, along with his more aggressive approach and reliable serve.

Djokovic still earned votes from Ryan Harrison and Marion Bartoli despite recent form, including a second-round loss at the Cincinnati Open. Fils, the Cincinnati champion, was backed by Naomi Broady and Jonathan Overend.