The same issue that has affected many tournaments in 2026 is also going to affect the Cincinnati Open. That is, many top players will not be participating because of injury, both short-term and long-term concerns.
Tennis fans already knew that Carlos Alcaraz wouldn't be participating due to a wrist injury that he suffered in April. He hasn't played since the Barcelona Open, though he has been seen practicing. His availability for the US Open is still in doubt.
ATP No. 1 Jannik Sinner is dealing with some kind of knee issue, and he hasn't played since Wimbledon. Missing the Cincinnati Masters means that the top-ranked player will have only played once since the French Open. He lost in the second round in Paris due to a different problem. Sinner was greatly affected by the heat and began cramping.
Withdrawals continue to mount ahead of the Cincinnati Open
No. 11 Bublik will also miss Cincy, but he doesn't appear to have an injury. Assuming he plays at the US Open, he should be healthy enough to make a deep run if he plays at a high level.
ATP withdrawals at the Cincinnati Open:
- Jannik Sinner (No. 1)
- Carlos Alcaraz (No. 2) – replaced by Mattia Bellucci
- Alexander Bublik (No. 11) – replaced by Marton Fucsovics
- Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (No. 25)
- Sebastian Korda (No. 50)
- Ethan Quinn (No. 51) – replaced by Lorenzo Sonego
- Holger Rune (No. 99)
On the WTA side, No. 6 Karolina Muchova had minor surgery on an unspecified body part and isn't expected to be out long-term. She just won't be participating in Cincinnati.
Victoria Mboko, a rising star, tore her MCL at the HSBC Championships and could miss the remainder of the year. She is already out of the US Open, too. The hope, obviously, is that she is healthy by January and can pick up where she left off this year. She has reached at least the quarterfinals in three 1000 events.
2021 US Open winner Emma Raducanu has a stress fracture in her leg, and the only way to have the injury heal is not to play tennis. She has no timeline for her return, though fans should expect her not to be in New York either. She might also be a candidate to miss the rest of the year.
WTA withdrawals at the Cincinnati Open:
- Karolina Muchova (No. 6)
- Victoria Mboko (No. 12)
- Jasmine Paolini (No. 15) – replaced by Taylor Townsend
- Hailey Baptiste (No. 32)
- Jacqueline Cristian (No. 39)
- Emma Raducanu (No. 49) – replaced by Maya Joint
- Lois Boisson (No. 281)
The Cincinnati Open's main draw will begin on Thursday, August 13, and will end on Sunday, August 23. Hopefully, no more withdrawals will occur before the first ball is hit.
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