Brazilian tennis star Joao Fonseca has withdrawn from the 2026 US Open after failing to recover from an abdominal injury suffered during the Cincinnati Open. Fonseca announced his decision on Monday, August 24, less than a week before the men’s singles competition begins at Flushing Meadows.
The 20-year-old underwent medical tests and began treatment after returning to Brazil, but he and his team determined that he needed more time before competing again. “Unfortunately, this means I won’t be able to play in the US Open,” Fonseca said. “It was not an easy decision to make, as it is a very special tournament for me.”
Fonseca first felt discomfort on the left side of his abdomen during a practice session in Cincinnati. He had defeated Botic van de Zandschulp in his opening match but withdrew before facing Christopher O’Connell in the third round. The initial hope was that Fonseca would recover in time for New York. Further examinations, however, showed that attempting to play a best-of-five-set Grand Slam tournament would come too soon.
His absence removes one of Latin America’s leading players from the final major tournament of the season. Fonseca entered the week ranked No. 26 in the world and owns a 19-13 record in 2026. His biggest result came at the French Open, where he reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal after beating Novak Djokovic and two-time finalist Casper Ruud.
The Brazilian eventually lost to Jakub Mensik in the quarterfinals, but his run in Paris strengthened his reputation as one of the most dangerous young players on the men’s tour. The US Open also holds special meaning for Fonseca. He won the boys’ singles title in New York in 2023 and made his men’s main-draw debut two years later. He reached the second round in 2025 before losing to Tomas Machac.
Injuries have interrupted Fonseca’s season more than once. A lower-back problem forced him to withdraw from tournaments in Brisbane and Adelaide at the beginning of the year and also kept him out of Brazil’s February Davis Cup series. Fonseca has not announced a firm date for his return. Brazil is scheduled to face Switzerland in the Davis Cup on September 18 and 19 in Rio de Janeiro, but his participation will depend on how quickly the abdominal injury heals.
The men’s singles draw will be held on August 27, with first-round matches beginning August 30.
