Sinner says patience is key as knee layoff continues, returning in Riyadh on 27 December

A long stop after Wimbledon

Jannik Sinner has been off the tour since the summer, when a problem with his right knee ruled him out of the rest of the season after his Wimbledon title on 12 July. He missed the North American hard-court events, the Asian swing and the ATP Finals in Turin. In a long interview with the magazine U, published by La Repubblica, the Italian said the wait had tested his patience. He said he never stepped away from the sport and kept up gym work, court sessions and physiotherapy throughout the break.

He summed up the lesson of the layoff in a single line.

“The body is the only opponent you cannot beat. When it tells you to stop, you have to accept it and follow the advice of specialists.”

Injuries and a career that lasts

Asked whether the modern tour breaks players' bodies, Sinner answered that injuries are part of sport. He said players have to judge how much and when to play, and that the decision needs a long-term view. He wants a long career, which means thinking beyond the present and planning the calendar with that in mind.

“Injuries are part of sport. You have to be smart and understand how much and when to play.”

He also argued that work matters more than luck over time, since luck can help win a point but not a match. In his words, the seeds are sown now, but the harvest runs on its own timetable.

Return in Riyadh

Sinner has announced that he will return to competition at the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh on 27 December. Coverage of the interview does not describe any event before that date. AGI reports that he will lose the world number one ranking by the end of the year. Sinner described this period as one of patience rather than a rush back to the court.

The day he would erase

Asked which day of his life he would erase, Sinner did not pick a defeat. He excluded the 2025 Roland Garros final against Carlos Alcaraz and the Australian Open 2026 semi-final lost to Novak Djokovic. He chose the day when, at 13 and a half, he said goodbye to his father in Milan before moving to Bordighera in Liguria to train under Riccardo Piatti. He recalled that both of them cried, and he said he does not regret the decision.

“I was crying for the break, but so was he.”

Rivalry, friendships and life off court

Sinner called his rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz a source of pressure that pushes him to the limit. He placed it in a line of tennis rivalries running from Borg-McEnroe to Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. Away from the court he named family, friends, motor sport and skiing among his interests. He is also friends with Kimi Antonelli, the 20-year-old Mercedes Formula 1 driver, and said they talk about relationships and how to handle difficult situations. Asked whether he plans an autobiography, he said he prefers shots to words.