The 2026 international tennis season loses its undisputed protagonist. Jannik Sinner has officially announced his definitive stop for the current year, giving up all the key autumn events to preserve his physical integrity and long-term health. A painful but inevitable decision, developed after months of therapeutic attempts and clinical consultations aimed at resolving an insidious inflammation in his right knee that has tormented him since last July, i.e. since the Wimbledon final won against Alexander Zverev. The primary objective, agreed with the medical staff, is to undergo a cycle of conservative treatments which excludes surgery but requires a total stop from high intensity training.
Which tournaments will he miss: will he lose the lead?
The forced stop will force the Italian champion to abandon the fields of the main events at the end of the year. Sinner will miss the Masters 1000 in Shanghai, the ATP 500 in Vienna, the Masters 1000 in Paris-Bercy and the highly anticipated appointment with the ATP Finals in the Piedmontese capital, in addition to the rich Six Kings Slam exhibition tournament in Riyadh. The tennis player himself announced the turning point through a video published on social channels, in which he wanted to reassure fans about his condition.
Hi everyone, I’d like to give you a quick update. Together with the doctors, I decided to undergo a course of treatment for my knee. This means the 2026 season is officially over. The last two years, and in particular the Finals in Turin, have given me wonderful emotions and sensations. This year will be very different, but at the moment I also have to think about my long-term career, so I will do everything I can to get back to 100% fitness. I thank you in advance for your support and hope to see you back on the pitch very soon.
The dates of Zverev’s overtaking in the ATP rankings
The prolonged forfeit will have inevitable repercussions on the world ranking, where the Italian tennis player currently leads with 11,000 points followed by the German Alexander Zverev at 9,720. In the next few weeks Sinner will have to gradually discard a huge haul of points won last season: 50 points in Shanghai, 500 for the triumph in Vienna, 1,000 for the success in Paris and 1,500 for the unbeaten apotheosis at the ATP Finals, closing the year with 7,950 points. For his part, Zverev will score just 980 points overall. Despite the very high initial disadvantage, mathematics condemns the blue to lose the throne: Sinner will retain world leadership at least until Sunday 1 November, the day of the final in Vienna. The official overtaking of the German tennis player will take place on Monday 2 November – if Zverev manages to score 490 points between Shanghai and Vienna – or it will be postponed to Monday 9 November, immediately after the Masters 1000 in Paris and on the eve of the ATP Finals.
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