The tennis world will be missing its two biggest stars at the 2026 Cincinnati Open. Both Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have withdrawn from the tournament, leaving fans and analysts with one major question: Will they be fit for the upcoming US Open? Former world No. 1 Andy Roddick recently shared his thoughts on the absences, weighing in on what a return to the US Open after an injury would look like.
Andy Roddick Weighs In on Carlos Alcaraz’s US Open return as Jannik Sinner Also Misses Cincinnati Masters
Sinner has had an incredible year, racking up multiple titles, including the Sunshine Double and Wimbledon. However, that success has also come at a cost. Sinner has, on multiple matches, looked exhausted on the court, especially at Roland Garros.
Now, a right knee injury has forced him to hit the brakes and pull out of Cincinnati. Rather than risking worse damage right before the last Grand Slam of the year, Sinner simply chose to be cautious and rest.
Discussing the withdrawals on the latest episode of “Served” podcast, Roddick pointed out that Sinner has kept the exact details of his injury under wraps, which is typical of his reserved character. “Sinner out of Cincinnati with a right knee injury. I think that’s all we know,” Roddick said.
“It doesn’t seem like he mentioned, ‘I don’t know if I’ll be ready for the Open.’ In typical Jannik fashion, I don’t know that he told us any more than he absolutely had to in order to pull out of Cincinnati,” he added.
Meanwhile, Alcaraz’s situation is much more concerning. The Spaniard has been out of action since April due to a right wrist injury, which already forced him to miss both the French Open and Wimbledon. Alcaraz has been incredibly careful since wrist injuries can derail his entire career.
However, the absence in Cincinnati means Alcaraz will have to head into the US Open without a single hard-court tune-up match. And Roddick gave a reality check of how tough it is to return from a four-month layoff straight into a best-of-five-sets Grand Slam.
“I just think, and no one’s going to want to hear this, I think it’s really hard to come back and have your first tournament be three out of five sets. I think the US Open is in doubt,” Roddick explained.
The 2003 US Open champion believes there is a risk factor in returning to a major tournament after being so diligent. “All of a sudden, he’s in a five-setter first round of the US Open. That would be counter to everything that he has done thus far, with taking his time and being patient with his injury,” Roddick said.
The main draw at the Cincinnati Open begins on Thursday, August 13, in Ohio.
