Jannik Sinner Could Undergo Knee Surgery After China Open Withdrawal

Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the China Open as he continues to recover from his knee injury. As the reigning champion, he will lose 500 ranking points.

His name was on the entry list for the Beijing event, which is set to start on September 30. But there were speculations about his withdrawal, and Sinner finally confirmed in a post on X that he won’t be playing. Now, Italian journalist Gabriele Parpiglia has shared new information about Sinner’s injury.

The iliotibial band is a strip of fibrous tissue that is thick, strong, and not very elastic. It originates in the pelvis, runs down the entire outer side of the thigh, and attaches to the tibia, just below the knee. It acts like a steel cable, helping to stabilize the leg.

Gabriele Parpiglia wrote on Substack

Sinner’s participation in the Shanghai Masters is now uncertain. Parpiglia thinks that in extreme cases, Sinner could end up undergoing surgery.

The problem occurs just above the knee. There, the band passes over a bony prominence of the femur, the lateral epicondyle. Every time the knee bends and straightens, the band slides over it until the tissue between the fascia and the bone becomes inflamed. That’s why we describe it as‘extra-articular’: the problem is not inside the knee. It is outside, on the outer side.

Gabriele Parpiglia added

Sinner last played in the Wimbledon final. He defeated Alexander Zverev in four sets and defended his title, also clinching the fifth Grand Slam title of his career.

Before losing his second-round match at the French Open due to a physical collapse, Sinner completed the Career Golden Masters after his win in Rome. It was also his fifth consecutive victory in Masters 1000 events this season.

Alexander Zverev reacts to Jannik Sinner’s China Open withdrawal

Last year in Shanghai, Jannik Sinner was forced to hand the walkover to Tallon Griekspoor due to severe cramping. Sinner leads World No. 2 Alexander Zverev by just 1,810 points.

Sinner is the reigning champion in Vienna, Paris Masters, and the ATP Finals. If he ends up skipping the remainder of the season, Zverev, who clinched the French Open and Wimbledon, could end the season ranked No.1 for the first time in his career. But Sascha has made it clear that for him, it doesn’t matter whether Sinner is playing in Beijing or not, because he is only focusing on himself.

I’m just focusing on doing my job. I’m focusing on playing good tennis. I’m focusing on doing everything I can to prepare well for the matches that are ahead of me. And the rest will just follow. If you’re playing good tennis, if you’re winning matches, if you’re competing for big tournaments, yeah, those conversations come, but it’s a good thing when they come.

Alexander Zverev told Sky Sports

Could Alexander Zverev take the No. 1 spot this year? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/9i86cIqoK1

— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) September 25, 2026

Zverev is in London, competing at the Laver Cup. After the team event, he will be in Beijing for the China Open. Zverev, apart from the Wimbledon final, reached the finals of the French Open and the US Open, defeating Flavio Cobolli and Ben Shelton, respectively, and winning his second title of the season. He also played the final of the Madrid Open but lost it to Sinner.

Before this season, the German had reached three Grand Slam finals, all in different seasons. Dominic Thiem beat him at the 2020 US Open, Carlos Alcaraz denied him the win at the 2024 French Open, while the 25-year-old cruised past him at the 2025 Australian Open.

Also read: Andre Agassi Says Jannik Sinner and Darren Cahill’s Coaching Partnership Will Eventually Reach Its ‘End Point’