Tennis: World number one Sinner will not play in 2026 due to knee injury

Jannik Sinner has not competed in a tournament since winning at Wimbledon in July and will continue his recovery.

World number one men’s tennis player Jannik Sinner will not compete again in 2026 after opting to continue his recovery from a knee injury that has kept him out of action since his triumphant Wimbledon campaign in July.

The five-time Grand Slam winner will “follow a course of treatment for inflammation in his knee”, Sinner’s team said in a statement on Tuesday.

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“The decision has been made to have the treatment now to give Jannik the necessary time to recover before beginning preparations for 2027. As a result, Jannik will be unable to compete again during the 2026 season.”

Sinner also posted the update on his personal Instagram account, where he recounted ending last year on a high after retaining his ATP Finals title in Turin as he battled past then world number one Carlos Alcaraz.

“But at the moment, I also need to think about my long-term career,” he said in a video posted on Instagram.

“I will do everything possible to get back to 100 percent [and] I hope to see you very, very soon on court again.”

Sinner, 25, has not played since his triumph at the All England ⁠⁠Club, missing the North American hardcourt swing, including the US Open, and the ongoing ATP 500 event in Beijing.

He announced last week that he was withdrawing from the Shanghai Masters, which he won in 2024 after defeating Novak Djokovic in the final.

Now he will also miss the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals in November. Plus, he will not be able to play for Italy, the host nation and three-time defending champion, in the Davis Cup Final 8.

Sinner risks losing the top ranking while he’s out.

But if Sinner does return at the start of next year, he could play the Australian Open – the next Grand Slam – which starts January 17.

He enjoyed a 30-match winning streak this year before his meltdown in a second-round defeat at the French Open amid a Paris heatwave.

Sinner’s main rival missed four and a half months this year due to a right wrist injury.

Meanwhile, Germany’s Alexander Zverev won two of the four Grand Slam titles and is nearing the No 1 ranking.