Jannik Sinner Ends 2026 Season For Knee Recovery, Alexander Zverev Set To Become World No. 1

LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 12: Winner Jannik Sinner of Italy and runner up Alexander Zverev of Germany pose for a photo with their trophies after the Gentlemen’s Singles final on day fourteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2026 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 12, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

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World No. 1 Jannik Sinner is officially shutting it down for the remainder of the 2026 season for knee recovery, opening the door for Alexander Zverev to become the 30th No. 1 in ATP history before the end of the year.

“I would like to give you a little update,” the 24-year-old Italian said in a video post on social media. “Me, together with the doctors have decided that I need a course of treatment for my knee, which means that the 2026 season is officially over.

“The last couple of years, especially the ending in Turin, gave me so many beautiful feelings and emotions, which this year is going to be way different, but at the moment, I also need to think about my long-term career, so I will do everything possible to get back 100%.”

Sinner, who has career earnings of $69,478,174, has not played since winning Wimbledon in July, where he beat Zverev for his fifth major.

The Italian went 44-3 in 2026, winning six titles, and completing a historic Career Golden Masters sweep as the youngest in the Open Era.

Still, he had to pull out of the U.S. Open due to knee issues, allowing Zverev to win his second major of the season and second of his career and opening the year-end No. 1 spot for Zverev.

Sinner will lose all the points he earned at the end of 2026, including his victories in Vienna (500 points), at the Paris Masters (1,000 points) and at the ATP Finals (1,000 points).

Sinner currently has 11,000 points in the ATP rankings, while Zverev is at 9,720. If Zverev does well next week in Shanghai, he could become No. 1 in Vienna in a few weeks.

Zverev is coming off a loss to Novak Djokovic in the Beijing Open quarterfinals, but after the match the Serb said of the German, “He’s the best player in the world at the moment for sure, on a huge run and confidence roll.”

Meantime, world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz won the Japan Open on Tuesday, defeating Jiri Lehecka 7-6, 6-4 for his first title since February. Alcaraz missed four months with a wrist injury before returning at the U.S. Open.

Heading into the Australian Open in January, men’s tennis should be intriguing at the top with Zverev the new world No. 1, Sinner potentially set to return from his injury, Alcaraz back in form and Djokovic potentially making one last run.