Just In: Tennis world No. 5 suffers horror injury after being forced to end US Open match early
Aleksandra Krunic has reportedly torn her anterior cruciate ligament at the US Open, bringing her wildly successful 2026 season to an end. The doubles world No. 5 finished runner-up at the Australian Open and French Open this year, alongside her partner, Anna Danilina. But Krunic suddenly went down injured during their second-round match at the US Open and was forced to retire.
The No. 3 seeds were facing Tatjana Maria and Zeynep Sonmez, and raced through the opening set for the loss of just one game. But deep in the second, Krunic pulled up on her knee and dropped to the ground in pain.
The Serbian ace was at the net while Danilina served to stay in the set at 4-5. Krunic jumped to reach for an overhead, but when she landed on the court, she immediately went down and grabbed her left knee.
The world No. 5 soon retired at 6-1 5-6, sending Maria and Sonmez into the third round. Now, according to SportKlub, it has emerged that Krunic tore the ACL in her left knee and suffered damage to her meniscus.
It means the 33-year-old can expect to spend around eight to nine months out of competition, bringing her 2026 season to a heartbreaking end.
She and Danilina had already qualified for the WTA Finals in Indian Wells, thanks to a stellar season that has seen them win the WTA 1000 event in Doha and reach three other finals, including two at the Majors.
It’s unfortunately not the first time that Krunic has torn her ACL. She tore the ligament in her right knee at the end of 2022 and did not play again until mid-2023. At the time, she said: “Bad news: Unfortunately its my ACL,total rupture. Thanks for delivering the bad news 🙂 But I will come back stronger and wiser after this.”
The 33-year-old has yet to discuss her new ACL injury, but can draw on her recovery experience from four years ago.
Krunic’s heartbreaking injury also comes less than four months after American star Hailey Baptiste also tore her ACL and damaged her meniscus during a second-round singles match against Wang Xiyu at Roland Garros.
Baptiste had reached a career-high ranking of No. 25 in the world just weeks before she got injured in Paris. She has since undergone surgery and is eyeing a return next season.
After reaching the third round of the women’s doubles event via retirement, Maria and Sonmez lost to the American duo of Ashlyn Krueger and Robin Montgomery, 6-3 6-2.
