After months away from the court, the former world No. 1 is finally eyeing a return. He says the time off has changed how he sees the sport.
Jannik Sinner plans to return from a knee injury at an exhibition event in December to prepare for the Australian Open, he said Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, at a sponsor event in Milan.
When will Jannik Sinner return?
Sinner, 25, said the goal is to play in Australia and possibly a couple of events beforehand. But he said he must follow medical protocols, warning that rushing back could cause more serious problems.
One possible event is the Six Kings Slam, an exhibition in Saudi Arabia that was postponed to late December because of the conflict in the Middle East. He said the decision on whether it goes ahead is not up to the players, but that some matches before Australia would be very helpful.
The exhibition offers prize money but no ranking points. Jannik Sinner won it last year.
How has the injury affected Jannik Sinner?
Jannik Sinner has not played since beating Alexander Zverev in the Wimbledon final in July. He withdrew from the U.S. Open with a right knee injury and announced last month that his season was over.
It is the longest time he has been sidelined. He said the months have been hard because he misses competing and doing what he loves, and that he has barely been able to watch tennis.
Still, he said protecting his body is most important because he wants to keep playing for another 10 to 15 years. Returning a month later, he said, does not change that.
Zverev took over the No. 1 ranking last week, ending Sinner’s run of 95 weeks at the top. Sinner has won five Grand Slam titles in his career.
How has the break changed his view of tennis?
Sinner said winning used to feel almost routine. Now he truly appreciates what he has achieved, and his desire to win, especially another major, is even stronger. He said he hopes to enjoy those moments even more.
Asked how he has spent his time, Jannik Sinner said he spends almost every day on a racing simulator, broken up by trips to the gym. A big motorsport fan, he joked that he might race cars someday, but said he wants to get back on the court and does not like feeling out of control.
What did Sinner say about his coaching change?
Sinner announced last week that coach Darren Cahill is leaving and that Magnus Norman, the former coach of Stan Wawrinka, will join next month alongside Simone Vagnozzi.
He said Norman is similar to Cahill and accepts the way the team already works, which matters because the focus is on improving about 1% each year rather than changing everything. Norman also coached Robin Soderling.
He said he will miss Cahill most on a personal level, calling him almost a second father and one of the first people he would call in hard times. Cahill helped guide Sinner to all five of his major titles.
What did Cahill say about Jannik Sinner’s new coach?
Cahill, who attended the Milan event, noted he wrote in 2013 that Norman improves every player he coaches. He said he will give the new team space and was not involved in choosing his replacement, but gave Sinner a big thumbs up when he heard the choice.
With a new coach and a renewed hunger, Jannik Sinner is aiming to return to his best in 2027. The Australian Open, where he has won twice, begins in January.
