By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, August 16, 2023

The US Open field has lost a former champion.

Marin Cilic, who defeated Roger Federer and Kei Nishikori in succession to win the 2014 US Open title, has withdrawn from the Flushing Meadows major. Cilic, who underwent knee surgery last January, has been limited to two matches as he rehabs from surgery. 

The US Open begins on August 28th.

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Canadian left-hander Denis Shapovalov also pulled out of the Open due to a chronic knee injury.



Following his fourth-round Wimbledon loss to Roman Safiullin last month, Shapovalov conceded his knee pain was "unbearable" and said if he opted to rest the knee, rather than undergo surgery, then he would likely be sidelined at least two months.

"The minimum would be two months. Yeah, I mean, hopefully no surgery. Obviously with surgery it would be much longer, but I would say the minimum would be two months," Shapovalov said at Wimbledon, adding "towards the end of the match, I couldn't even walk, let alone play."

Cilic and Shapovalov join Nick Kyrgios, Jan-Lennard Struff and 2020 US Open semifinalist Pablo Carreno Busta in pulling out of the season's final Grand Slam.

Photo credit: Darren Cummings/AP