​Jannik Sinner has ended his 2026 tennis season after opting for a patient return to fitness with his ongoing knee injury.The 25-year-old has been out since the Wimbledon final, when he beat Alexander Zverev in four sets for his fifth grand slam title. But after frequently pushing back a potential return on the ATP Tour, Sinner has opted to close down his year in order to protect his long-term success in the sport.“Hello everyone, I’d like to give you a little update, me together with the doctors have decided I need a course of treatment for my knee, which means that the 2026 season is officially over,” Sinner told his fans. “The last couple of years, especially the ending in Turin, gave me so many beautiful feelings and emotions, this year is going to be way different, but at the moment, I also need to think about my long-term career.Jannik Sinner has been sidelined since the Wimbledon final (PA)“I will do everything possible to get back to 100 per cent, I will thank you already in advance for your support and hope to see you very, very soon on court again. Ciao, Ciao.”Sinner will now be at risk of losing his world No 1 ranking, with major tournaments still on the calendar, including the Rolex Shanghai Masters, which starts this week and the Rolex Paris Masters next month. A homecoming in Turin at the Nitto ATP Finals on 15 November, and an opportunity to defend his title after victory over Carlos Alcaraz last year, is also off the cards. Instead, Sinner will focus on a build-up to the Australian Open, with Sinner falling to Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals earlier this year. The grand slam starts on 11 January, affording Sinner just over three months to return to full fitness.Zverev could profit in Sinner’s absence, with his points tally in the rankings much closer than Alcaraz to the Italian and now down to just 1,280.