Key Takeaways
- World number 1 Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the 2026 China Open due to an ongoing knee problem, extending his absence to 75 days without a match.
- Jannik Sinner expressed his regret on X, saying, “My knee is not where I would like it to be, and I’m not ready to compete, but I will do everything possible to be there on court as soon as I can.”
- The withdrawal allows Alexander Zverev, who leads the live standings on 8,650 points to Sinner’s 7,950, to strengthen his bid for the year-end top ranking in Beijing.
Ongoing knee troubles keep Jannik Sinner out of Beijing
World number 1 Jannik Sinner has confirmed his withdrawal from the 2026 China Open as an ongoing knee injury continues to keep him off the court. The Italian has not contested an official match since Wimbledon, having already been forced to skip both the Cincinnati Open and the US Open during the summer hard-court swing.
Sinner announced the news directly to his supporters on X, confirming that he will be unable to defend the title he claimed in Beijing 12 months earlier. “Hello everyone, Jannik here. I want to send the warmest greetings to the Chinese fans. I’m very sorry to announce that I won’t be able to play in Beijing this year,” Sinner explained.
Addressing the physical issue that has sidelined him for 75 days, the 25-year-old indicated that he is still working his way back to full fitness. “My knee is not where I would like it to be, and I’m not ready to compete, but I will do everything possible to be there on court as soon as I can. What I’ll miss the most is, of course, the tournament, the fans, and the atmosphere,” he stated. “I’ve had a great time in the past, winning the title last year. I’m very disappointed that I cannot defend it this year, but I’m very happy to come back next year. I wish everyone a very good tournament, and I’ll see you all very soon.”
Strong Beijing track record put on hold
Sinner boasts a remarkable history at the China Open, having compiled a 14-1 match record across three appearances. He lifted the trophy in both 2023 and 2025, with his only defeat in the tournament coming against Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 final.
| Year | Performance | Wins | Defeat |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Champion | 5 (Dan Evans, Yoshihito Nishioka, Grigor Dimitrov, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev) | – |
| 2024 | Runner-up | 4 (Nicolas Jarry, Roman Safiullin, Jiri Lehecka, Yunchaokete Bu) | Carlos Alcaraz |
| 2025 | Champion | 5 (Marin Cilic, Terence Atmane, Fabian Marozsan, Alex de Minaur, Learner Tien) | – |
Sinner will now focus on his recovery with the target of returning for the Shanghai Masters, which gets underway on October 7.
Implications for the year-end number 1 battle
The Italian’s extended absence has significant consequences for the race to finish 2026 at the summit of the rankings. Germany’s Alexander Zverev currently leads the standings and occupies the top seeding spot in Beijing following Sinner’s withdrawal.
| Rank | Player | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexander Zverev | 8,650 |
| 2 | Jannik Sinner | 7,950 |
| 3 | Ben Shelton | 4,430 |
| 4 | Carlos Alcaraz | 4,050 |
| 5 | Flavio Cobolli | 3,530 |
With Zverev, who lost in the quarter-finals in Beijing 12 months ago, poised to compete at the Laver Cup in London before travelling to China, the German has an opportunity to extend his advantage in the standings while Sinner remains on the sidelines.
— Jannik Sinner (@janniksin) September 25, 2026
Jannik Sinner in 2026
Ranked no.1, Jannik played his last match on the 12th of July when he beat world no.2 Alexander Zverev 6-7(7) 7-6(2) 6-3 6-4 in the final in Wimbledon to win his 31st career title.
Until now, during this year the Italian has a compiled 44-3 win-loss record. Sinner has won 6 titles in 2026 in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Madrid, Rome and Wimbledon.
