World No. 1 Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the US Open because of a right knee injury, ending his run of consecutive Grand Slam appearances since making his major debut at Flushing Meadows in 2019.The Italian star, who was expected to be among the leading contenders for the title in New York, will instead remain in Europe to continue his recovery, with his team targeting a return during the Asian swing later this season.Sinner's absence is a major blow to the US Open, where the 25-year-old has enjoyed some of the biggest moments of his career.Jannik Sinner's knee injury forces US Open withdrawalSinner's team confirmed Friday that the world No. 1 had made the difficult decision to skip the final Grand Slam tournament of the year after his recovery from a right knee problem took longer than expected.The Italian had recently returned to the practice court in Monte Carlo but concluded that he was not yet ready to compete at the level required for a two-week Grand Slam campaign.“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,” Sinner said.He added that although he had resumed hitting in recent days, his knee still required more time to recover.The decision means Sinner will miss a Grand Slam for the first time since his major debut at the 2019 US Open, bringing an end to an impressive streak of appearances at tennis' biggest tournaments.Wimbledon triumph was Sinner's last tournamentSinner was last seen in competitive action at Wimbledon, where he produced another dominant Grand Slam run to claim his fifth major title and his first Grand Slam trophy of the 2026 season.His campaign began with a five-set battle against Miomir Kecmanovic, but Sinner quickly found another level after surviving that early test. He did not drop another set before the final, where he defeated French Open champion Alexander Zverev in four sets.The Wimbledon victory appeared to reinforce Sinner's position at the top of men's tennis, making his US Open withdrawal all the more significant.A dominant 2026 season interruptedBefore the injury setback, Sinner had put together one of the strongest seasons of his career.The world No. 1 swept the first five ATP Masters 1000 tournaments of the year, winning titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome. He has compiled a 44-3 record and collected six titles so far in 2026.His withdrawal from New York therefore comes at an unfortunate moment, interrupting a season in which he had established himself as the player to beat on the ATP Tour.Sinner also has a strong history at the US Open. He won the title in 2024 and returned to the final the following year, where he lost to rival Carlos Alcaraz in four sets.What Jannik Sinner said about missing the US OpenSinner said the decision was particularly painful because of his connection with New York and the tournament.“I'm obviously very sad and disappointed, as New York has a special place in my heart,” he said. “I was very much looking forward to coming back and playing in the electric atmosphere in front of the great fans there.”With the US Open main draw scheduled to begin on August 30, attention will now turn to Sinner's recovery timeline.When could Jannik Sinner return?Sinner is expected to remain in Europe and continue rehabilitation under the supervision of his medical and performance team.The current plan is to target the Asian swing, with Beijing and Shanghai identified as possible comeback tournaments if his recovery progresses as expected.For now, however, the priority is clear: giving the right knee enough time to heal rather than risking a premature return at the US Open.Sinner's absence removes the world No. 1 and a former champion from the New York draw — and opens the door for the rest of the field as the final Grand Slam of the 2026 season approaches.