Sinner withdraws from US Open mixed doubles following Cincinnati illness

World number one Jannik Sinner has pulled out of the US Open mixed doubles competition just one day after illness forced him to retire during the Cincinnati Open final against Carlos Alcaraz. The Italian tennis star was scheduled to compete alongside Katerina Siniakova in the reimagined mixed doubles format but has been replaced in the tournament draw.

Sinner's withdrawal comes after a concerning performance at Cincinnati on Monday, where he appeared visibly uncomfortable in the extreme heat and retired after falling behind 5-0 to Alcaraz in the opening set. The reigning Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open champion struggled in the sweltering conditions before making the difficult decision to withdraw from the match.

Taking to social media platform X on Tuesday, Sinner addressed his fans and explained his current situation. "Yesterday I didn't feel great and I'm really sorry to disappoint you. Thank you so much to everyone supporting me on-site and from home, your support means the world," the world number one posted. He also congratulated his opponent, saying "Congrats to @carlosalcaraz and his team, you're having an incredible season and I wish you all the best for what's ahead. Now it's time to rest a couple of days before getting back to work."

The US Open mixed doubles event represents a new format for the tournament, featuring a compact two-day competition with 16 teams participating. The competition began on Tuesday, but organizers had to make last-minute adjustments to the official draw following Sinner's withdrawal. Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison have stepped in to replace the Sinner-Siniakova partnership and will face Belinda Bencic and Alexander Zverev in their opening round match.

Despite his withdrawal from the mixed doubles competition, tennis fans will be hoping Sinner can recover in time for the main singles draw, which is scheduled to commence on Sunday. The Italian star will be looking to defend his US Open title and maintain his position at the top of the world rankings, but his recent health concerns have raised questions about his preparation for the tournament's opening week.

SportsLigue