SHANGHAI — Alexander Zverev has pushed back against the narrative that Jannik Sinner's absence with a right knee injury is a "good thing" for him, saying he wants to compete against the best as the world No. 1 sits out the rest of the 2026 season after defeating Zverev in the Wimbledon final on July 12.
Speaking at the Shanghai Masters, Zverev said he disagrees with the suggestion he benefits from Sinner being off the tour. "It's hard for me to give an opinion, but I know many people think it's a good thing for me that he's not on the tour. I don't think so at all, quite the opposite," the German was quoted as saying by Italian website OA Sport. "I'm not that kind of person; I like competing with the best in the world, and even though Jannik has beaten me many times this year, I wish he were on the tour with me. I hope he can return to playing the most important tournaments in the world soon because he's one of the best tennis players in the world and deserves to be there."
The reigning French Open and US Open champion added that Sinner is right to take his time with the injury. "I think it's right that he wants to take his time. With inflammation, it's important to treat it so that it heals once and for all. These injuries tend to recur if they're not treated properly," he said. Zverev, 29, contrasted Sinner's knee issue with his own serious ankle injury that ended his 2022 season, noting he tore seven ligaments and two bones in his right ankle. "My 2022 break was different from Sinner's. My injury was sudden," he said. "I knew exactly what to do to heal. It took me seven months to get back on the court, which wasn't long, and then a year to get my tennis back. I don't think Sinner will need that long, because he hasn't broken anything. At least, that's what I understand."
Sinner announced last week he will not play again in 2026, having already missed the Canadian Open, the Cincinnati Open, the US Open, the China Open and the Shanghai Masters. His confirmation that his season is over means he is set to lose the world No. 1 ranking to Zverev, who is currently ranked second. Zverev has lost his last 10 matches against Sinner, with four of those meetings coming this year.