Tennis great Novak Djokovic has thrown his full support behind world No. 1 Jannik Sinner’s decision to write off the remainder of the 2026 season to fully recover from a persistent knee injury, emphasizing that protecting a player’s long-term future must always override short-term competitive pressure.
Sinner has been out of action since lifting his fifth Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in July, missing the entire North American hard-court swing, the US Open, and the ongoing Asian swing.
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With the Italian also withdrawing from the ATP Finals in Turin, the door has opened wide for Alexander Zverev to challenge for the year-end No. 1 ranking.
Speaking in Shanghai, Djokovic, who famously battled back from a severe elbow injury and surgery earlier in his career, applauded Sinner’s maturity in handling the setback.
“He has to think long term,” Djokovic told Straitstimes. “That’s smart because as someone that always tried to have the big picture in my mind, I really support that kind of thinking and mindset. It’s important that you give yourself more years to your career, so you have more chances to accomplish all of your objectives.”
Reflecting on the psychological hurdles of returning from a lengthy layoff, Djokovic noted that physical healing is only half the battle.
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“Of course, physically, if you’re ready, you’re ready,” he explained. “But then it’s mental. You know, you’re on the court and you’re thinking, ‘Am I really completely healed and free to make this run?'”
By stepping away to clear up his knee inflammation completely, Sinner aims to set the stage for a fully recovered and dominant return to the tour.
