Jannik Sinner announced on October 3, 2026, that he will not play in the Masters 1000 in Shanghai, as reported by sport.sky.it. The world number one has missed tournaments since winning Wimbledon on July 12, 2026, creating mounting uncertainty regarding his ranking lead over Alexander Zverev.
Forfeit Announced For Shanghai Masters
World number one Jannik Sinner confirmed via social media that he will miss the Rolex Shanghai Masters, expressing regret to fans in China. sport.sky.it reported the statement in which the Italian player stated he hoped to play but could not participate. Sinner has missed Cincinnati, the US Open, and Beijing since winning Wimbledon.
Specialist advises Sinner to avoid surgery
Sinner dealt with inflammation of the tendons in his right knee, treated initially with physiotherapy and monitoring of the inflammation at J Medical in Turin. Additional reporting by gazzetta.it and corriere.it revealed that Sinner recently traveled to France to consult Dr. Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet at the Hôpital Privé Jean Mermoz in Lyon. According to gazzetta.it, the orthopedic specialist advised Sinner to avoid surgery and continue with conservative therapies. The trip to France was first revealed by a fan who posted a photo of Sinner at Le Santy restaurant, located near the Santy Orthopedic Center.
Earlier in August, Sinner left Monte Carlo for a check-up at the Physioclinic in Milan with physiatrist Gianluca Melegati, where he spent about four hours. Later, he visited Dr. Franceschini in Milan for suspected pes anserine tendinitis. During this period, Anna Wintour, the longtime director of Vogue America, told Sinner, “I thought you were going to Beijing,” to which the champion replied, “I thought so too.”
Zverev can overtake Sinner by winning tournaments
Sinner remains mathematically guaranteed to hold the number one spot in the ATP ranking until October 18, 2026, the day of the Shanghai final. sport.sky.it noted that Alexander Zverev can overtake Sinner at the conclusion of the Asian swing only by winning both Beijing and Shanghai.
Sinner faces uncertainty before exhibition matches
However, sport.sky.it noted that his actual participation depends on when he decides to clear his return to competitive play. corriere.it added that his scheduled matches in Riyadh include a match against Alex De Minaur, followed by potential encounters with Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. This million-dollar exhibition, the Six Kings Slam, is scheduled for October 21 to 24, though gazzetta.it noted his participation remains to be evaluated.
Sinner defends three thousand fifty ranking points
What injury forced Jannik Sinner to withdraw from Shanghai?
Sinner suffered inflammation of the tendons in his right knee, which required physical therapy at J Medical in Turin and a consultation with orthopedic specialist Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet in Lyon.
How many ranking points does Sinner defend for the rest of the season?
According to sport.sky.it, Sinner defends a total of 3,050 points through the remainder of the year, broken down into 50 points for Shanghai, 500 for Vienna, 1,000 for Paris, and 1,500 for the ATP Finals.
Can Alexander Zverev claim the ATP number one ranking during the Asian swing?
Zverev can surpass Sinner by the end of the Asian tournaments only if he wins both Beijing and Shanghai, which would elevate his point total to 11,040 against Sinner’s 10,950 points, as reported by sport.sky.it.