Sinner ends 2026 season, knee needs treatment
The world number one announced in a video on Instagram that he will not return to the court this year. Zverev will now finish the year as the top-ranked player.
A video message of just a few sentences, posted Tuesday on the Instagram account @janniksin, closed the season for a man who still sits at the top of the ATP rankings. Jannik Sinner announced on October 6, 2026 that his year is over, and the reason is treatment for his knee. He says he made the decision together with his doctors.
The Italian plans to return to the court at the Australian Open, RTS reports.
What did Sinner say in the video message?
Sinner kept it short and gave no details about the injury. In Sport Klub’s translation, he said:
“Hello everyone, I would like to share some news with you. Together with my doctors, I have decided that I need treatment for my knee, which means the 2026 season is officially over. The last few years, especially since the end of the season in Turin, have brought me many beautiful feelings and emotions, and this year it will be very different, but right now I have to think about my career in the long term. I will do everything I can to come back at 100 percent. Thank you for your support, and I hope to see you on the court soon.”
He mentions the season-ending tournament in Turin, which Sinner will not play this year. The message makes no mention of surgery, only “treatment”. We reported on October 3 that he had missed Shanghai and had reportedly been to see a surgeon in Lyon. Sport Klub notes that speculation about a knee problem had circulated even before that, especially in recent days, when he was seen at a clinic in Lyon. Now the player has confirmed it himself.
How did the knee problem lead to the end of the season?
According to RTS, the first complaints appeared in the Rome semifinal against Daniil Medvedev. At Roland Garros he then went out in the second round, to Juan Manuel Cerundolo.
A turnaround followed. Sinner won Wimbledon, beating Alexander Zverev in the final. Sport Klub reports that it was the last match he played.
Even so, new knee problems surfaced while he was preparing for the rest of the season. He missed the US Open, withdrew from Shanghai earlier, and postponed his return several times. B92 relays claims from an Italian source that the problem is inflammation of the iliotibial band, a tissue involved in transmitting force during movement. Sinner did not name a diagnosis in his message, so that remains unconfirmed on his side.
What does the withdrawal change in the ATP rankings?
The top of the list changes most. Sport Klub writes that Alexander Zverev will now finish the year as the world number one, even though Sinner currently leads the rankings. The German, it is worth recalling, lost the Wimbledon final to Sinner.
For Sinner, a long break and recovery lie ahead, which he himself has named a priority: “I have to think about my career in the long term.” The next confirmed goal is the Australian Open at the start of next season.
