Jannik Sinner: World number one ends season early with knee injury

World number one Jannik Sinner will not play again in 2026 because of an ongoing right knee injury.

Five-time Grand Slam champion Sinner said he "needed to think about my long-term career" when deciding to end his season early.

"The last couple of years gave me so many beautiful feelings and emotions, which this year is going to be way different.

Sinner was the dominant player for much of the year, winning 44 and losing just three of his singles matches.

Sinner's injury means that Alexander Zverev is all but guaranteed to replace him as world number one by the end of the year.

However, Sinner will be unable to defend the points he claimed with title triumphs in China, Vienna, Paris and the ATP Finals at the end of last year.

He reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open, losing in five sets to Novak Djokovic, but suffered a shock second-round exit at the French Open in May.

However, he bounced back superbly at Wimbledon. Despite being taken to five sets in the first round - and bleeding through his shoes at one point - he recovered to eventually beat Zverev in the showpiece and defend his title.

Sinner came out on top, beating the Spaniard in the Monte Carlo Masters final to replace him as world number one.

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