Jannik Sinner is preparing to return to the tennis circuit as details about his competition schedule emerge. The world No 1 faces increasing pressure from Alexander Zverev, who is closing the gap in the rankings after winning the US Open.
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The 25-year-old Sinner defended his Wimbledon title in July but missed tournaments in Canada, Cincinnati, and the US Open due to a knee injury. During his absence, Zverev has cut Sinner's lead in the rankings to 1,810 points, while in the ATP Tour Race, Zverev now leads by 700 points.
Sinner is not part of the European team for the Laver Cup scheduled from September 25 to 27, which includes world No 3 Carlos Alcaraz and Zverev. According to Sky Sports Italy, Sinner has undergone three weeks of treatment for an inflamed tendon in Turin and plans to resume training shortly.
His objective is to compete at the ATP 500 event in Beijing starting on September 30, where he is the defending champion after defeating Learner Tien in last year's final. However, Sinner prioritizes a full recovery and may instead aim for the Shanghai Masters beginning on October 7.
Additionally, the ATP Tour announced that Sinner will defend his ATP 500 title in Vienna from October 24 to November 1. He seeks to become just the second player, after Brian Gottfried, to secure three titles in Vienna. With a current record of 17-4 in the tournament, Sinner will face competition from former winners Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, and Andrey Rublev. If Sinner participates in Vienna, the race for the No 1 ranking could intensify, especially after their last three-set match in the 2025 final, where Sinner came out victorious.