What changed
Jannik Sinner has ended his 2026 season because of an ongoing right knee injury. The 25-year-old Italian, ranked world number one, has not played competitively since defending his Wimbledon title in July.
Sinner said doctors recommended a course of treatment and that he needed to think about his long-term career. He will miss the rest of the season, including the chance to defend points from titles in China, Vienna, Paris and the ATP Finals.
Why it matters
Sinner’s absence reshapes the race for number one. Alexander Zverev, who trails him by 1,280 points in the live rankings, is highly likely to take the top spot by year’s end because Sinner cannot play for the points he earned late last season.
That is a striking change after Sinner went 44-3 in singles this year and won five Masters 1000 titles in a row between March and May. He had built the season around control; now the calendar works against him.
The bigger issue is the return itself. Sinner has not given a diagnosis, treatment length or comeback date. His stated aim is to return “100%,” but the ranking consequences will arrive before anyone knows when he will be back.
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