Virtanen withdraws from Dimitrov clash after back injury, misses US Open

Finland’s Otto Virtanen has been forced to withdraw from his 2026 US Open qualifying clash with Grigor Dimitrov because of a back injury, ending his hopes of reaching the men’s singles main draw in New York

Virtanen had enjoyed a promising qualifying campaign after defeating France’s Ugo Blanchet in straight sets before overcoming Britain’s Jack Pinnington Jones in a three-set battle.

The victory over Pinnington Jones earned Virtanen a meeting with former world No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov, but the highly anticipated clash never got underway.

Virtanen Handed Dimitrov Walkover

Virtanen suffered a back injury during the second set against Pinnington Jones and, despite battling through the pain to complete the match and win the deciding set, he was unable to recover in time for his next encounter.

As a result, Dimitrov advanced to the US Open main draw via a walkover, without having to hit a ball.

The Finnish player, who reached the second round at Wimbledon earlier this year, had entered the qualifying draw as the ninth seed and had been hoping to make another deep run at a Grand Slam.

His withdrawal means Finland will have no representatives in either the men’s or women’s singles at this year’s tournament in New York.

Dimitrov Continues His Ranking Comeback

For Dimitrov, the walkover provides a valuable opportunity to progress into the US Open main draw as he attempts to rebuild his ranking.

The Bulgarian reached the US Open semi-finals in 2019 but has endured a difficult period in recent years.

A pectoral injury suffered at Wimbledon in 2025 forced him out of action, while an inconsistent return to competition has seen his ranking fall significantly.

Dimitrov currently sits at No. 140 in the world, three places below Virtanen, despite his experience at the highest level of the sport.

The 2026 US Open therefore represents another opportunity for the former world No. 3 to rediscover his best form and begin climbing back up the rankings.