Just four days ago, Jannik Sinner’s health dominated the headlines. The Cincinnati Open defending champion made it back to the final, aiming to clinch the crown for a second time against his rival, Carlos Alcaraz. But an unfortunate illness stopped the World No. 1 from showing his best. He retired from the match just 23 minutes in, trailing 0-5 against the Spaniard. The big question: would he bounce back stronger for his US Open title defense?

Understandably, the Italian withdrew from the mixed doubles event with Katerina Siniakova, which was scheduled the day after the Cincinnati final. Now, according to the draw, Sinner’s first-round opponent will be Vit Kopriva. Is he ready to kick off the tournament?

It seems so! Jannik Sinner was spotted at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday, August 21. An X user at the practice session caught and posted a video showing the defending champion smiling and greeting Alcaraz and his team on the court. That’s a promising sign, right?

On Tuesday, health expert Steven Buchwald from Manhattan Mental Health wasn’t so sure. Speaking to Express Sport, he said, “Athlete withdrawals often signal a combination of physical and psychological stress.” He suggested the World No. 1 might skip more of the tour. But Sinner proved those doubts wrong, like he has before after setbacks.

He’s known to take his health as his top priority. In 2024, he withdrew from a tournament in Paris after he was diagnosed with tonsillitis. He later came back and won the ATP Finals. This season alone, he’s withdrew from the ABN AMRO Open to rest his body after a long run at the Australian Open and even withdrew from the National Bank Open after winning the Wimbledon Championships.

Not to mention, while illness threw a wrench in his path at the Cincinnati finals, Sinner was on a 26-match winning streak on hard courts. His coach is quite confident of the Italian’s return in New York.

Jannik Sinner’s coach gives his take on his form

After the World No.1’s setback on Monday, his coach Darren Cahill, who’s been with him since July 2022, shared an update with SportsCenter. “Sinner contracted a small virus on Sunday that worsened the next day. We hope to have him back on the courts tomorrow,” Cahill said. The virus hit after Sinner’s win over Terence Atmane—a match that kept his winning streak alive without dropping a set. With this news, fans can breathe easier as Jannik gears up to defend his US Open crown.

In a chat with ESPN, Cahill kept the optimism flowing. “I spoke to him briefly last night. He was feeling a bit better last night. He will take today off as well, that’s the plan, and hopefully get on the court tomorrow and start hitting a few balls… We are confident he’s going to be fine,” the coach reassured everyone.

Jannik Sinner himself is chomping at the bit to return. After pulling out of the Cincinnati Open, he expressed his love for Grand Slams. “I love Grand Slams a lot. This is the main, main tournaments for, for my season and, you know, for my career. So US Open is going to be tough tournament, but in the same time, I’m looking forward to it. If I’m ready, physically and mentally, I’m, I will be ready to push,” he said with determination.

Last year, despite facing the stress of a doping controversy just before the US Open, Sinner pushed through and clinched the title in straight sets against Taylor Fritz. Now, with his eyes on defending that title, he said, “Now, a couple of days of recovery, and then, you know, we get again back to work, and hopefully we’ll be ready. So for sure, the main goal here in the US.”

He’s already proven his caliber this year by winning the Australian Open. Then, after a three-month ban, he bounced back to reach back-to-back finals at Rome and Roland Garros. Even more impressive, he clinched the Wimbledon title while battling an elbow injury. Will Jannik Sinner succeed in keeping his New York crown? We want to hear your thoughts in the comments below!