World number one Jannik Sinner ended his 2026 season on Tuesday to treat a knee injury. He will miss his ATP Finals title defence in Turin.
In a social media video, the 25-year-old Italian explained that he and his doctors had agreed on a course of treatment. His management team identified knee inflammation as the problem.
Sinner said he needed to prioritise his long-term career over returning to competition this year. “But at the moment, I also need to think about my long-term career,” he said.
His decision ends hopes of another appearance at the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Finals, just over a month away. Sinner won the tournament in each of the previous two seasons and recalled the emotions those victories brought him.
This year, he has been out of competition since his Wimbledon triumph in July. Official tournament records confirm that he subsequently missed the North American hard-court swing, including the US Open, and the Beijing event.
He withdrew from the Shanghai Masters on October 3 before announcing that he would sit out the rest of the season.
Despite the interrupted schedule, Sinner won every final he contested this year. His six final victories included Wimbledon and five Masters 1000 tournaments.
Those Masters titles came at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome, according to official tour records.
Read:Jannik Sinner Madrid Open Win Beats Zverev 6-1, 6-2
Sinner finished with a 94% winning record, his career-best. That surpassed his results in both previous seasons, when he won two Grand Slam titles and the season-ending championship each year.
His management team explained that starting treatment now would give him time to recover before beginning preparations for 2027.
(With additional input from AFP)
