Jannik Sinner Knee Injury Ends His 2026 Season Early

The Jannik Sinner knee injury has officially ended the world No. 1’s 2026 season, the Italian announced Tuesday. Sinner, 25, will undergo a course of treatment for inflammation in his right knee and will not compete again this year, according to a statement from his team reported by Reuters.

Sinner has not played since winning the Wimbledon title on July 12, when he beat Alexander Zverev in the final at the All England Club, NBC Sports reported. The knee problem forced him to withdraw from the U.S. Open and miss the entire North American hardcourt swing, as well as the ongoing events in Asia.

Jannik Sinner Knee Injury: What He Will Miss

Last week, Sinner had already withdrawn from the Shanghai Masters, which he won in 2024. The Jannik Sinner knee injury will now also keep him out of the Paris Masters and the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin in November — a tournament he won the past two years, the Associated Press reported via ESPN. He will also be unavailable for Italy at the Davis Cup Final 8, where the host nation is the three-time defending champion, Reuters reported.

• Last match: Wimbledon final, July 12 (beat Zverev)
• Diagnosis given: inflammation in the right knee
• Missed: US Open, Shanghai, Paris, ATP Finals, Davis Cup
• Career majors: five Grand Slam titles
• Possible return: Australian Open, starting January 17

Sinner said in a video message posted on social media that he and his doctors decided he needs a course of treatment, meaning his 2026 season is over, and that he needs to think about his long-term career, NBC Sports reported. He said he will do everything possible to get back to 100 percent.

The Injury and the Treatment Plan

Sinner’s team said the decision to treat the knee now was made to give him the necessary time to recover before beginning preparations for 2027, according to Reuters. Reports in Italy have suggested the issue could be iliotibial (IT) band syndrome, an overuse injury affecting the outside of the knee, and that Sinner consulted a renowned surgeon in Lyon who advised conservative therapy and rest rather than surgery, The Times reported. Neither Sinner nor his team has confirmed a specific diagnosis beyond knee inflammation.

Before the injury, Sinner had put together a 30-match winning streak this year, ended by a second-round defeat at the French Open during a Paris heatwave, the Associated Press noted.

Race for No. 1 Wide Open

Sinner’s absence puts his hold on the No. 1 ranking in serious jeopardy. Zverev won two of this year’s four Grand Slam titles — the French Open and the US Open — and has cut the points gap at the top, Reuters reported. With Sinner unable to defend the large number of points he earned late last season, including his ATP Finals triumph, Zverev is positioned to finish the year at No. 1, according to USA Today.

Sinner’s great rival Carlos Alcaraz also missed four and a half months this year with a right wrist injury, the Associated Press reported, making 2026 a season defined as much by absences as by titles among the sport’s top players.

Return Target: Melbourne

If his recovery goes to plan, Sinner could return at the start of next year in time for the Australian Open, the next Grand Slam, which begins January 17, Reuters reported. For Italian tennis, attention now turns to whether the Davis Cup hosts can defend their title without their biggest star, and whether Sinner’s January comeback can quickly restore the rivalry at the top of the men’s game.