Sinner withdraws from Shanghai as knee recovery extends absence

Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the Shanghai Masters, extending the world number one's absence from competition as he continues recovering from a knee injury. Reuters reported on Saturday, October 3, that the 25-year-old Italian has not played since winning Wimbledon in July, with another planned opportunity to return now ruled out.

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The tournament confirmed the withdrawal in a report by ATP staff, citing a message Sinner posted on Instagram Stories. He apologised to supporters in Shanghai and said he had hoped to take part. He also thanked fans for their backing and expressed his wish to return to the event next year.

Shanghai follows several significant absences during the second half of Sinner's season. Reuters noted that he missed the North American hard-court swing, including the US Open, and the ATP 500 tournament currently being played in Beijing. The announcement means his competitive layoff will continue beyond those events; the message did not specify a date for his return.

The interruption has come after a highly successful first part of the year. According to the ATP's tournament report and its Infosys Win/Loss Index, Sinner holds a 44-3 record in 2026. He won Masters 1000 titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Rome, completing the Career Golden Masters, before adding his fifth Grand Slam title at Wimbledon.

His withdrawal also affects the contest for the top ranking. Reuters reported that Alexander Zverev, this year's French Open and US Open champion, can become world number one for the first time by winning both Beijing and Shanghai. That remains a conditional route to the summit, rather than a ranking change triggered automatically by Sinner's decision not to play.

Shanghai's tournament report lists the event for October 7-18, with defending champion Valentin Vacherot among the entrants alongside Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Ben Shelton. Novak Djokovic, a four-time winner of the tournament, is also in the field. Sinner previously won the Shanghai title in 2024, beating Djokovic in the final, but will not seek another title there this month.