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Sinner targeting Australian Open return after earlier impossible goal

The Italian two-time champion says he is working back from a right knee injury for the Melbourne major.

By , Editor

· 1 min read

Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner (file photo) Photo: Like tears in rain / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Jannik Sinner is targeting a return at next year’s Australian Open after missing play since Wimbledon in July due to a right knee injury. He may play the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia in late December as a tune-up.

Key takeaways

  • Jannik Sinner is targeting next year’s Australian Open for his comeback
  • He has not played since winning Wimbledon in July because of a right knee injury
  • He may return at the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia in late December
  • Alexander Zverev replaced him at world number one after 95 weeks at the top
  • Magnus Norman will replace Darren Cahill as his coach

Jannik Sinner says he is targeting next year’s Australian Open for his comeback after a right knee injury kept him out since Wimbledon in July. ABC Sport reported that the two-time champion hopes to play a few tournaments before Melbourne. The Italian made the comments at a press conference in Milan on Tuesday, where he also discussed his rehabilitation and coaching changes.

Why it matters

Sinner has lost world number one status after 95 weeks at the summit, with Alexander Zverev now holding the ranking. Wimbledon was his second-career Wimbledon title in July. He is also changing coaches, with Darren Cahill leaving after four years and Magnus Norman taking over. Norman previously coached Stan Wawrinka.

What happens next

Sinner indicated he would probably return to the court in the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia in late December as a tune-up before January’s Australian Open. He said some matches before Australia might be helpful because he has not played since Wimbledon.

The Riyadh event was postponed because of the conflict in the Middle East, and Sinner said the decision on whether it proceeds is not up to the players.

By the numbers

2 Wimbledon titles, including the July 2025 win. 95 weeks at world number one before losing the ranking to Alexander Zverev. 10 to 15 years he hopes to keep playing.

About the Australian Open

The Australian Open is the first of the four Grand Slam tournaments each year and is held at Melbourne Park in Melbourne. The 2026 edition ran from 18 January to 1 February and was the 114th edition of the event.

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