Sinner out for rest of season with knee injury

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner will sit out the rest of the 2026 season after doctors advised him to address an ongoing knee problem, the Italian confirmed in an Instagram video. Sinner said he “needed to deliberation astir my semipermanent career” when he opted to end his campaign early. In the video he stated, “Me unneurotic with the doctors person decided that I request a people of attraction for my knee,” adding that the past months had given him “truthful galore beauteous feelings and emotions” and that 2026 would feel “mode different.” He pledged to do “everything imaginable to get backmost 100%.” Since defending his Wimbledon crown in July, Sinner has not competed. He arrived at the year with a 44‑3 win‑loss record in singles, having captured five Masters 1000 titles between March and May and becoming the youngest male to complete the career Golden Masters. His injury opens the door for Alexander Zverev to assume the top ranking by year’s end. Zverev, who claimed the French Open and US Open in 2026, trails Sinner by 1,280 points in the live rankings. Sinner will be unable to defend the points earned from triumphs in China, Vienna, Paris and the ATP Finals at the close of 2025. During the first half of 2026 Sinner won six titles on all three surfaces and lost only one singles match between March and July. He reached the Australian Open semifinals, falling to Novak Djokovic in five sets, before a shocking second‑round loss to Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the humid conditions of Paris ended a 30‑match winning streak. He rebounded strongly at Wimbledon, surviving a five‑set opening round—during which his shoe bled—and defeating Zverev in the final to retain the title. Sinner and his generational rival Carlos Alcaraz met in three of the four Grand Slam finals last year but faced each other only once in 2026, with Sinner prevailing at the Monte Carlo Masters to reclaim the world No. 1 spot. He finishes the season 10‑1 against top‑10 opponents, his sole setback coming against Djokovic in Melbourne at the start of the year.