Withdrawal from the Asian swing

Jannik Sinner announced on 3 October 2026 that he will miss the Rolex Shanghai Masters, completing his withdrawal from the entire Asian tour. The announcement follows his previous withdrawal from the ATP 500 event in Beijing, leaving the world number one sidelined for both Chinese tournaments. Unlike his Beijing withdrawal message, Sinner did not explicitly mention his right knee condition in the latest post. He addressed his supporters directly on Instagram to confirm that he will not play in the tournament, which begins on 7 October 2026.

“Unfortunately this year I will not be able to play at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, as I had hoped. I always like playing in front of the fans in Shanghai and I am very sorry not to be able to do so next week. Thank you for all your support. I look forward to seeing you again next year!”

Three months of tournament absences

Sinner has not played an official match since winning the Wimbledon men's singles title on 12 July 2026. His layoff of more than three months stems from persistent right knee inflammation diagnosed as extra-articular tendinopathy. The issue previously forced him out of the North American hardcourt swing, including the Masters 1000 tournaments in Montreal and Cincinnati as well as the US Open. Dr Daniele Mazza, an orthopedics and traumatology specialist and physician for the Italian Under-21 national football team, noted that the condition involves the iliotibial band running from the hip to the tibia. Mazza explained that the issue, often called runner's knee, produces localized pain on the outer knee under repetitive mechanical loads and requires careful load management.

ATP ranking implications and Zverev's chase

The missed tournaments put Sinner's world number one ranking under mounting pressure from Alexander Zverev. In Shanghai, Sinner is defending 50 points following a third-round defeat against Tallon Griekspoor in the 2024 edition. While the point loss in Shanghai is smaller than in Beijing, the cumulative absence across several tournaments prevents Sinner from earning ranking points during the autumn. Zverev is currently competing at the China Open in Beijing with an opportunity to close the points gap. Sinner's absence opens a clear path for Zverev to challenge for the world number one ranking in the coming weeks.

Medical visits and prospective return dates

Prior to the Shanghai withdrawal, Sinner was spotted in Lyon, France. A photograph taken at the Le Santy restaurant, later removed by the user, placed the 25-year-old athlete near the clinic of Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee and hip injuries. Sinner's schedule now leaves him several weeks to prepare for the Six Kings Slam exhibition event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. His targeted return to the official ATP Tour is the Vienna tournament scheduled for 24 October 2026, provided his knee inflammation is fully resolved.