Sinner withdraws from US Open as NHS accused of hiding failings

World number one Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the 2026 US Open because of a right knee injury, the tournament confirmed on 21 August. The Italian had already pulled out of the Cincinnati Open, saying the problem meant he was not ready to compete, and his absence removes one of the leading contenders from the final Grand Slam of the season after a year in which he won Wimbledon and claimed five ATP Masters 1000 titles before Rome. No timetable for his return has been given.

Separately, senior figures in Scotland's health service have alleged that some NHS boards prioritise institutional reputation over patient safety. Dr Iain Kennedy, outgoing chair of BMA Scotland, described a "culture of cover-up" in which clinicians who raise concerns can face damage to their careers, citing a survey of 17,000 BMA Scotland members showing the problem was widespread. The claims followed a late submission to the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry by scientist Dr Michael Bradnam, who said his safety concerns about Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital went unanswered for 15 years, and came amid separate concerns at Dr Gray's hospital in Elgin, which suspended planned paediatric surgery after an inspection. Scotland's patient safety commissioner Karen Titchener voiced similar concerns, while Health Secretary Angela Constance rejected the claim that health boards put reputation first, insisting patient safety remained central to government priorities.