Will Jannik Sinner play in Asia? Word No.1 tipped to skip Asian swing as cautious approach advised

It has been over two months since Jannik Sinner last competed, defeating Alexander Zverev in the final of Wimbledon. Since then, a right knee injury has caused havoc and prevented him from competing in the North American hardcourt swing. He is set to return at the China Open, but he could still opt to withdraw from the tournament in the eyes of a former Italian tennis player.

Sinner had been the dominant force on the ATP Tour this year. After a slightly slow start, he finally won his first title of the year at Indian Wells. He would go on to complete the Sunshine double before his only clash against his arch rival Carlos Alcaraz at the Monte-Carlo Masters final ended in a triumph. Madrid and Rome titles followed before a catastrophic collapse in Paris cost him the chance of completing the career Grand Slam.

He got back to it at Wimbledon, defending his title before vowing to take a period of time away from the court due to his excessive workload in recent weeks. He would skip the Canadian Open before the Cincinnati Open was also scratched off the list.

Reports surfaced over a knee injury, and it would ramp up as the US Open closed in. He would eventually make the painful decision of withdrawing from a tournament he was likely to be the huge favourite in.

The Asian swing provides another opportunity with a number of big tournaments coming up not just in Asia but Europe as well, with his immaculate indoor hardcourt form set to be tested once more.

Since the China Open returned in 2023, Sinner has featured in all three editions with much success. He won the 2023 version against Daniil Medvedev with a brace of tiebreaks before losing a three-set thriller against Alcaraz a year later. He comfortably breezed past earner Tien last time out, dropping just four games.

He is on the entry list for the tournament in the Chinese capital with the ambition of clinching his title back. However, with bigger priorities on the horizon, it may not be the smartest decision to compete. Former Italian tennis player Stefano Pescosolido told Sky Sports Italia that these ATP tournaments will not take precedent with a side of caution needed.

“I think he’s being a little more cautious physically. He wants to avoid any setbacks,” he said. “The Grand Slams are the main objective, and I imagine that next year he’ll want to be in peak condition to try and win as many as possible.”

There is even a scenario in the former World No.42's mind that Sinner would just skip the Asian swing completely. He exited the Shanghai Masters early last year against Tallon Griekspoor due to severe cramps brought on by the extortionate heat and humidity.

“There are two options: Beijing and Shanghai, or starting with the indoor tournaments," he continued. "Last year’s Chinese ATP Masters 1000 tournament saw some tricky conditions, and he withdrew due to cramp. He might skip the Asian leg and return via Vienna to be ready for the ATP Finals in order to plan for the following year as effectively as possible.”

The China Open is first on the list, with the penultimate Masters 1000 event at the Shanghai Masters. Sinner defeated Djokovic in the 2024 edition with a possible showdown against Alcaraz possibly on the cards.

Back to Europe, where Sinner will look to defend his titles in Vienna and Paris, the final Masters 1000 tournament of the year. He has not lost on an indoor court since the 2023 ATP Finals. That equates to a 29-match unbeaten streak. It is yet to be seen if anyone can upset this astonishing string of results.

Then, it is back to Turin for the ATP Finals. Sinner has already qualified along with Zverev and Alcaraz as he looks to make it three on the spin in the final showpiece event of the year before taking a well-deserved break before the 2027 season commences.