Like tears in rain · CC BY-SA 4.0Carlos Alcaraz says he misses Jannik Sinner and is excited for the Laver Cup
US Open
Jannik Sinner pulls out of China Open and will not defend his title
The knee problem that has already kept him off the tour has not settled, so his comeback is pushed back once more.
Like tears in rain · CC BY-SA 4.0Jannik Sinner will not defend his China Open title, pulling out of the tournament because his knee is not ready for competition. The withdrawal delays his return from injury once more and leaves the event without its reigning champion.
2026
Season 2026
Why Sinner has pulled out
Sinner's stated reason is the condition of his knee, which he says is not quite ready. That is the same problem that had already held up his comeback, so a return that had been building has been pushed back again. The withdrawal costs him the chance to defend a title he won a year ago.
He had been working towards a return to competition, and the China Open was the next point on that path. Pulling out leaves his immediate schedule blank and means more of the season will pass without him on court.
What the withdrawal means for the China Open
Like tears in rain · CC BY-SA 4.0Losing the defending champion changes the shape of the field. The title Sinner won last year will pass to someone else in his absence, and nobody in the draw will have to beat him to take it. For the tournament, a leading name is missing from the closing stages; for Sinner, another event is missed while he manages the knee.
What is not yet known
Like tears in rain · CC BY-SA 4.0No return date has been announced. Sinner and his team have not set out a timetable for when he might play again, and it is not known how many events he will miss before the knee allows him to compete.
The severity of the problem has not been detailed. It has not been disclosed whether further treatment is planned or how long he is expected to be away from the court, and he has not said whether the injury has worsened or simply responded more slowly than hoped.
- A return date for Sinner
- The severity of the knee problem
- Whether the China Open organisers will comment publicly
- Which events he will enter when fit
What happens next
Getting the knee to the point where he can compete is the priority, and nothing he has said points to a fixed date for that. The China Open will go ahead without him. Until he or his team sets out a return plan, his next appearance on court remains uncertain.
Frequently asked questions
- Why is Jannik Sinner not playing at the China Open?
- He says his knee is not ready for competition, and withdrawing delays his return from injury. It also means he will not defend the title he won at the tournament a year ago.
- When will Jannik Sinner return to tennis?
- No date has been announced. Sinner and his team have not set out a timetable, and it is not known how many events he will miss.
- What title is Jannik Sinner giving up by missing the China Open?
- He is the defending champion, having won the China Open a year ago, so that title will be decided without him and will pass to another player.
- How serious is Jannik Sinner's knee injury?
- The extent of the problem has not been made public. Sinner has described the knee only as not quite ready, without saying whether it has worsened or how it is being treated.
