Alcaraz, Sinner against history: The daunting US Open statistic they must break after skipping Montreal and Cincinnati

This time, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will both arrive in New York without having played either the Canadian Open or Cincinnati.

It has been a strange period in men’s singles tennis, with Jannik Sinner, the world No. 1, becoming the latest big name to withdraw from the upcoming Cincinnati Masters.

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz won't be part of Cincinnati Masters (REUTERS)

The Italian has pulled out of the Canadian Open in Toronto, meaning he has not played competitively since successfully defending his Wimbledon title earlier this summer. His latest withdrawal came a week after Carlos Alcaraz also opted out of Cincinnati, leaving the Masters 1000 event without either of the world’s top two players and former champions when the men’s singles action begins Saturday.

Why Sinner and Alcaraz are not playing Cincinnati Masters

Alcaraz has been out of action for even longer. His last competitive appearance came at the Barcelona Open in April, where he suffered a wrist injury that kept him sidelined for five months and forced him to miss both the French Open and Wimbledon.

Sinner, meanwhile, is dealing with a knee problem that has prevented him from returning to competition since his Wimbledon triumph.

“After consulting with my doctors and my team, I have to announce that I need to withdraw from the Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati,” Sinner said in a statement released by Cincinnati Open tournament officials.

“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. I can’t wait to be back next year and I’m now focusing on getting ready for the U.S. Open.”

Alcaraz, Sinner against US Open history

Cincinnati has traditionally been one of the final major stops before the US Open, making it an important hard-court tune-up for players heading to New York.

The tournament has also played a significant role in the recent careers of Sinner and Alcaraz. Sinner won the Cincinnati Masters in 2024 before going on to claim his maiden US Open title. Last year, Alcaraz lifted the Cincinnati trophy before beating Sinner in the US Open final.

This time, however, both will arrive in New York without having played either the Canadian Open or Cincinnati. And that brings an intriguing piece of history into the picture. No men's singles player has won the US Open after skipping both the Canadian Open and Cincinnati since 1990.

The bigger concern could be match practice.

Sinner has not played since Wimbledon and will head into the US Open with no competitive hard-court matches under his belt if he does not return before the tournament. For Alcaraz, the challenge is even greater. The Spaniard has not played a competitive match since April.

Neither player is currently expected to feature at the ATP 250 event in Winston-Salem, the final tournament before the US Open. That would leave both entering the season’s final Grand Slam with preparation coming largely through training rather than competition.