Mid-Season Tennis Injury Report: Victoria Mboko and Maya Joint Sidelined Ahead of Hard-Court Swing

The transition from the grueling grass-court season to the North American hard-court swing is always a test of attrition, and the July 2026 injury report reveals significant casualties. As the tours pivot toward the US Open, several prominent players have been forced to step away from competition to rehabilitate lingering issues.

The most high-profile absence on the women's side is Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko. The 19-year-old world No. 10 officially withdrew from the upcoming National Bank Open in Toronto, confirming she will be unable to defend the WTA 1000 title she captured in Montreal last summer.[1][2][7]

Mboko's setback stems from a medial collateral ligament tear in her left knee, sustained during a nasty slip on the grass at the Queen's Club in June. The injury occurred during a second-set battle against Karolina Pliskova, abruptly ending her grass-court campaign and forcing her out of Wimbledon.[1][2]

"Knowing that I won't be able to play this year, it's very saddening," Mboko shared with her hometown fans, noting that the National Bank Open means everything to her. Tournament director Karl Hale echoed the disappointment, emphasizing the blow of losing a defending hometown champion but stressing that her long-term health remains the priority.[1][2][7]

The injury halts a meteoric rise for Mboko, who skyrocketed into the Top 10 by February 2026 after defeating four Grand Slam champions to win her maiden title. She will now miss the entirety of the North American hard-court swing, dropping crucial ranking points in the process.[2]

Meanwhile, Australian breakout star Maya Joint is also taking a mandatory pause. The 20-year-old made global headlines at Wimbledon by defeating 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams in a thrilling first-round Centre Court clash, a career-defining moment that snapped an 11-match losing streak.[3]

However, the physical toll of the tour has caught up with Joint, who officially withdrew from the WTA 250 event in Athens this week. She has been managing a complicated lower-back injury that previously sidelined her for six weeks earlier in the season and severely disrupted her form.[3][4]

Joint's withdrawal from the Greek hard-court event is a strategic move to rest and rehabilitate ahead of the grueling US Open series. Her absence, alongside players like Eva Lys and Camila Osorio, has significantly altered the draw in Athens, opening pathways for alternates and lower-ranked competitors to secure valuable tour-level points.[4]

On the men's side, the physical demands of the grass season have also claimed Matteo Berrettini. The 2021 Wimbledon runner-up enjoyed a resurgence at the All England Club this year, reaching the third round and defeating Stan Wawrinka in what became Wawrinka's final Wimbledon appearance.[5]

Following his Wimbledon exit to Grigor Dimitrov, Berrettini withdrew from the Swiss Open Gstaad, revealing a diagnosis of chronic hip pain. Medical advisors have instructed the Italian powerhouse to rest extensively to ensure he can participate in the hard-court events preceding the US Open.[5]

The ATP Tour is also missing French talent Arthur Cazaux, who remains sidelined following a severe right elbow injury. Cazaux underwent a ligamentoplasty procedure in April to repair a detached ligament, a surgery that ruled him out for at least six months.[6]

Cazaux, who had been playing through pain for over a year, made the difficult decision to prioritize his long-term career over the 2026 season. He is expected to miss the remainder of the Grand Slam calendar, targeting a return to the secondary tour in October to rebuild his ranking outside the top 100.[6]

As the US Open looms on the horizon, these absences underscore the brutal physical reality of the modern tennis calendar. For players like Mboko, Joint, and Berrettini, the immediate focus shifts from chasing trophies to the painstaking, unglamorous work of rehabilitation.