Novak Djokovic says he plans to reach out to Jannik Sinner after a knee injury forced the world No. 1 to shut down his season early, with the veteran Serbian saying Thursday at the Shanghai Masters that he understands better than most how difficult it is to return from a lengthy layoff.
Sinner announced on Tuesday that persistent knee inflammation will keep him out for the rest of the year. The five-time Grand Slam champion has not played since beating Alexander Zverev in the Wimbledon final in July, having since withdrawn from the US Open with a right knee problem that has now proven more stubborn than first expected. is plinko a scam
"I haven't been in touch with Jannik since he got injured, I just saw the news two days ago. So I'll reach out to him to see how he's doing," Djokovic said. "As someone that has been through some major injuries in my career." The 24-time major champion knows the territory well - he shut down his own 2017 season in late July that year after struggling with acute pain in his right elbow, eventually requiring surgery.
A Comeback That Tests Body and Mind
"I had a surgery, and it was the only big surgery that I had," Djokovic said. "So I'm aware of how difficult that is, making that comeback." The 39-year-old, fresh off winning the China Open for his 102nd career title, stressed that the hardest part of returning from injury is rarely just physical. "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?'" he said. "I mean for him if it's a knee. Obviously it's affecting everything, it's affecting every single movement."
A Costly Absence for Sinner and the Tour
The Italian had already pulled out of Shanghai before Tuesday's announcement, but the knock-on effects run deeper. Sinner will miss the Paris Masters in November, forfeiting the 1,000 ranking points he earned by winning the title there last year, and will also sit out the season-ending ATP Finals. He will be unable to play for host nation and three-time defending champion Italy at the Davis Cup Final 8 either - a heavy blow for a player who has been central to Italy's recent tennis renaissance.
"You know for sure that tennis misses him," Djokovic said. He now turns his attention to Hubert Hurkacz in the second round in Shanghai. Sinner's season had been defined by a 30-match winning streak before a surprising second-round exit at the French Open, a reminder of how form can shift quickly even for the sport's dominant figures.
Shifting Ground at the Top of the Rankings
Sinner's absence carries significant ranking implications. Carlos Alcaraz, who himself missed four and a half months this season with a right wrist injury, has rediscovered his best form, claiming the Japan Open on Tuesday and now competing in Shanghai. Zverev, ranked No. 2 and already a two-time Grand Slam winner this year after triumphs at Roland Garros and the US Open, is on course to overtake Sinner atop the rankings given the points the Italian stands to lose and the gap back to third-placed Alcaraz.
- Sinner: out for the remainder of 2025 with knee inflammation
- Will miss Paris Masters, ATP Finals and Davis Cup Final 8 with Italy
- Zverev poised to climb to world No. 1
- Alcaraz and Djokovic both competing this week in Shanghai
"It is a talking point for everybody at the moment but I am motivated to keep fighting for good things," Zverev told ATP Media on Thursday. "I have big motivation to play and there are certain things I want to achieve and of course I am fighting for." With the top of the men's game in flux, Sinner's enforced break adds another twist to a season that has already seen the hierarchy tested repeatedly.
