Paolini's Cincinnati Withdrawal Rocks Rankings, US Open Hopes Hang on Foot Recovery

Jasmine Paolini has pulled out of the Cincinnati Open 2026 due to an ongoing left foot injury, a tough blow for the Italian star who was last year's runner-up at the event. This decision means she will miss crucial warm-up matches on hard courts and faces a significant drop in her world ranking, putting her US Open preparations under a cloud. Her focus is now entirely on healing to be ready for the final Grand Slam of the year in New York, starting August 30. Paolini, currently ranked world No. 15, was looking forward to defending the 650 ranking points she earned by reaching the Cincinnati final in 2025, where she eventually lost to Iga Swiatek. This withdrawal follows earlier pull-outs from the Washington Open and Canadian Open, leaving her without any competitive hard-court matches before the US Open. Her 2026 season has been challenging, marked by inconsistent performances and this persistent foot issue, which has kept her off the court since her quarter-final exit at Wimbledon against Marta Kostyuk. With the Cincinnati Open running until August 23, Paolini has about three weeks to fully recover and regain her fitness before the US Open kicks off. While her determination to play in New York is clear, skipping the entire hard-court season means she will enter the Grand Slam without match practice on that surface, raising questions about her form and ability to make a deep run. Fans will be keenly watching for updates on her recovery, hoping to see the Italian back to her best for the season's biggest stage.