"Little by little, you can start to dream" - Injury halts Jannik Sinner's touted charge for Novak Djokovic's Grand Slam haul

Jannik Sinner was the overwhelming favourite to win a second US Open title with his rivals wobbling in one way or another. However, he has in turn stumbled across some misfortune after a right knee injury has prevented him from competing in the North American hardcourt swing, most notably the fourth and final Grand Slam of 2026. Corrado Barazzutti, former captain of Italy's Davis Cup team, has sided with his fellow countryman's decision not to rush back to the sport.

Still only 25-years-old, Sinner will return and will continue to challenge for the biggest titles in the world, but his absence from the US Open is still a massive blow. He won his maiden title in New York in 2024 when he proved too good for home hero Taylor Fritz before making it back-to-back finals in 2025, only to be outclassed by a scintillating Carlos Alcaraz.

With his Spanish foe struggling with injury, albeit making a return to tennis at Flushing Meadows after a long hiatus, Sinner had one more chance of capitalising on the seven-time Grand Slam champion not being 100% in terms of sharpness after not competing since April.

This injury has come about after the sheer number of matches played by the World No.1. He was utterly untouchable as he won five consecutive Masters 1000 titles before a stunning collapse at Roland Garros cost him the chance of prolonging his win streak.

He returned to Wimbledon in a triumphant manner for a fifth Grand Slam title but the toll of putting that much workload through his body these prior months has proven costly.

Injuries are becoming more common on the ATP Tour, and it seems that the best in the world are not prevented from this daunting prospect. Whether short or long term, it is something that they need to be be careful about, and it has finally caught up to Sinner who will be forced to watch the proceedings in the USA from the comfort of his own home.

Interviewed by Corriere della Sera, Barazzutti was looking far into the distance with his ambitions for Sinner. Stuck on five with a sixth now not possible until 2027 at the earliest, Barazzutti has thrown Novak Djokovic's 24 Grand Slam titles he is currently on as a possibility for the future.

"It could have been another Grand Slam title to add to the trophy case: Novak Djokovic's 24 remain very far away, Jannik only has five so far, but little by little, you can start to dream," he said. "But apparently, the injury is serious. He didn't even try."

He was in full support of Sinner's decision not to compete on court, reminiscing a story back in 2023 where Fabio Fognini took a valiant risk to compete at Roland Garros with an injury, only for it to backfire.

"Fabio in 2023. I was his coach. He played the third round of Roland Garros against Sebastian Ofner despite a pectoral injury: the doctor advised him not to take the court, but he is generous and gave it his all, only to then make the situation worse."

A more recent example is Alcaraz whose situation became a lot more serious with each tournament he withdrew from. "We have no information, we know nothing. Even about Carlos Alcaraz : he was in Barcelona, ​​he suddenly withdrew and was out for four and a half months. Jannik certainly made the best decision after listening to the doctors' opinion."

The timeframe for this spell on the sidelines is not set in stone, but Sinner will be hopeful of a swift return to the ATP Tour fresh and replenished ready for another push. The eye-catching tournaments he will want to win again are the Shanghai Masters and Paris Masters, with Sinner the reigning champion in the French capital. Thanks to his early season heroics, he has already qualified for the ATP Finals for the fifth time, the fourth on the spin. He has reached the final the last three occasions, winning the 2024 and 2025 versions.