Sinner's Injury Woes Continue
Jannik Sinner has been dealing with a persistent knee problem ever since his Wimbledon triumph, and the injury has now cost him appearances at the Canadian Open, the Cincinnati Open, the US Open, and most recently the China Open in Beijing. In a heartfelt video message directed at Chinese fans, Sinner expressed real regret at missing a tournament where he is the defending champion. He was clear that his knee is simply not ready for competition, but promised to return as soon as possible and looked ahead to coming back next year.
The absence is a significant one for Sinner, who not only has to give up ranking points he earned by winning the title last year, but also hands a golden opportunity to the man right behind him in the rankings.
Zverev's Road to Number One Runs Through Shanghai
With Sinner out of Beijing, Alexander Zverev steps in as the top seed and the clear favorite to win the China Open. However, winning in Beijing alone will not be enough to lift him to world No. 1. According to available ranking projections, roughly 900 points would still separate the two players after a potential Zverev title in China.
The real window opens at the Shanghai Masters. If Sinner skips that event and Zverev wins it, the German would finally reach the top of the ATP rankings. The catch is that Zverev has never won the Shanghai Masters in seven previous appearances. His best result there came in 2019, when he reached the final before losing to Daniil Medvedev. His recent form at the event has been inconsistent at best, with early exits in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
TennisDraw users have been tracking the Zverev-to-No.-1 scenario closely, making him a popular bracket pick heading into the Asian swing.
