Alexander Zverev has emerged as a serious threat to Jannik Sinner’s World No. 1 ranking after his heroic effort at the 2026 US Open. With Carlos Alcaraz and Sinner struggling with injuries throughout the year, the 29-year-old German has seized the opportunity.
He clinched his maiden Grand Slam crown at the French Open and added second at the US Open. But before Zverev began his sensational run, Sinner ended Alcaraz’s reign at the top with an emphatic title win at the Monte-Carlo Masters. The Italian further tightened his grip at the top by defending his Wimbledon title against Zverev.
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After his memorable success in London, Jannik Sinner missed the entire North American hard-court swing due to a lingering right knee issue. The five-time Grand Slam champion has failed to recover in time for the Asian swing, and he confirmed his withdrawal from the upcoming Beijing Open.
Following his withdrawal, Sinner lost 500 points, leaving him within touching distance of the summit. Zverev sits in second, trailing Sinner by 1370 points. If the German goes all the way to clinch the title in Beijing and Shanghai, Zverev will leave Asia as the new World No. 1.
It remains to be seen whether Jannik Sinner will recover in time for the Shanghai Masters, scheduled to commence on October 7. If he regains his fitness, he could dent Zverev’s number one ambitions.
Jannik Sinner vows to return to competitive action as soon as possible
After feeling his absence at Flushing Meadows, fans expected Jannik Sinner to land in Beijing to defend his crown from September 28. However, on Friday, the 25-year-old shared a video message on X and disclosed that his knee hasn’t healed yet.
Disappointed by his inability to defend his title, the two-time Beijing Open champion admitted he would miss the fans and the atmosphere that the tournament offers.
“I want to send the warmest greetings to the Chinese fans. I’m very sorry to announce that I won’t be able to play in Beijing this year. My knee is not where I would like it to be and I’m not ready to compete yet. I will do everything possible to be there on court as soon as I can,” Sinner said in a video on X.
“What I miss the most is, of course, the tournament, the fans and the atmosphere. I’ve had great times there in the past, winning the title also last year. I’m very disappointed that I cannot defend it this year,” he concluded.
Jannik Sinner clinched his first title in Beijing after trouncing Daniil Medvedev in 2023. Last year, he outclassed Learner Tien in a lopsided final to lift his second trophy. Even in 2024, Sinner stormed into the final but couldn’t outlast his arch-rival, Carlos Alcaraz.
Edited by Shyam Kamal