Cincinnati without Alcaraz and Sinner: the problem isn't the list, it's the calendar
17 withdrawals before the main draw. Zverev inherits the top seed status. And the lingering question is about the cost of playing so much.
The list of withdrawals for Cincinnati has grown to 17 names. Alcaraz and Sinner were already out. Osaka too. Now two more ATP players are added, according to Tennis365.
The tournament loses real strength. Zverev steps in as the top seed. The draw changes shape without the two biggest names in men’s tennis today.
Look, it’s understandable who withdraws. The calendar tightens between the Masters 1000 events in Toronto, Cincinnati, and the US Open right after. Three heavy weeks in a row, on hard courts, with travel in between. A toll that takes its price.
But the issue isn’t to judge each player individually. It’s to look at the pattern. Seventeen absences is not an accident. It’s a symptom.
Elite tennis is increasingly selective. Grand Slam preparation tournaments have become spare parts. Cincinnati, which has had historic finals and direct clashes between No. 1 and No. 2, now competes for attention with load management and long-term planning.
Zverev steps in as the top seed without having won Toronto. He inherited the position due to others’ withdrawals, not by ranking or recent campaign. It’s a detail that says a lot about the moment: the favorite status in a Masters 1000 now depends on who decides to show up.
José Morgado raised a curious point about the expected wild cards. Some names still don’t appear on the official list, which could indicate movement in the invitations. Alcaraz and Serena Williams appear with an eyes emoji. Nothing can be confirmed, but it’s a hint that the organization is pulling strings to save some attraction.
The column keeps its feet on the ground: Cincinnati will happen, there will be a champion, points and prize money will be distributed. But the conversation has changed. The public wants to see the best. And when a Masters 1000 loses 17 players before it starts, the question stops being “who will win” and becomes “who is left”.
What to watch now: the final draw for Cincinnati, when it comes out, and how many of those 17 names reappear at the US Open in full physical condition. Then the full story becomes clearer.