World No. 1 Jannik Sinner has ended his 2026 tennis season early after deciding to undergo treatment for an ongoing knee injury.
The Italian, who has not competed since successfully defending his Wimbledon title in July, confirmed on Tuesday that he will not return to the court until 2027. His medical team said he will undergo treatment for inflammation in his knee to allow him enough time to recover before beginning preparations for next season.
Sinner said the decision was made with his doctors and was intended to protect his long-term career.
“I also need to think about my long-term career, so I will do everything possible to get back 100%.”
Sinner to miss ATP Finals and Davis Cup
The 25-year-old will now miss the remainder of the European indoor season, including the Paris Masters and ATP Finals in Turin, where he had won the title in each of the previous two years.
He will also miss Italy's campaign at the Davis Cup Final 8, where the country is the host and three-time defending champion.
Sinner's last competitive appearance came on July 12, when he defeated Alexander Zverev in the Wimbledon final to successfully defend his title and claim his fifth Grand Slam championship.
His injury has already forced him to miss the US Open and tournaments in Asia, including the Shanghai Masters.
Sinner ends dominant 2026 campaign
Despite the premature end to his season, Sinner enjoyed one of the strongest campaigns of his career.
He won six titles in 2026 and recorded 44 victories from 47 singles matches. He also won five consecutive Masters 1000 tournaments between March and May, becoming the youngest man to complete a career Golden Masters.
His Wimbledon triumph against Zverev was his fifth Grand Slam title.
Sinner's only defeats of the season came against Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open, Jakub Mensik in Doha and Juan Manuel Cerundolo at the French Open.
Zverev closing in on world No. 1 ranking
Sinner's absence could also have a major impact on the ATP rankings.
Germany's Alexander Zverev, currently ranked No. 2, is within reach of taking the top spot before the end of the season. Zverev has already won the French Open and US Open in 2026 and will have an opportunity to gain ground while Sinner is sidelined.
Sinner will also be unable to defend ranking points from several of his late-season titles from 2025, including his victories in China, Vienna, Paris and at the ATP Finals.
Sinner targets 2027 return
Sinner's team said the decision to begin treatment now is designed to give him sufficient time to recover before starting his preparations for the 2027 season.
If his recovery progresses as planned, his next major target could be the Australian Open, which begins in January.
For now, however, the world's top-ranked player will spend the remainder of 2026 away from competitive tennis as he focuses on recovering from the knee problem.
