Jannik Sinner remains far from a return to competitive tennis following a recent tonsillectomy and ongoing knee recovery that forced him to end his season prematurely, Südtirol News reported on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026.
The 25-year-old Italian star revealed in a sponsor video that the subsequent medical procedure caused a noticeable drop in his body weight and muscle mass. “Maybe you can see it in my face, it is quite narrow,” Sinner said, noting that he has not played a tournament since capturing the Wimbledon singles title in July.
Sinner surrendered his number-one spot in the ATP world rankings to Alexander Zverev after shutting down his campaign to protect his knee. While initial recovery targets proved unrealistic, Sinner now aims for a comeback at the Australian Open in January, though he stressed that he is currently far from ready to compete.
Sinner Loses Weight After Surgery
Sinner explained that he underwent a surgical procedure to remove his tonsils several weeks ago, compounding the physical toll of his rehabilitation. The unexpected operation led to a visible reduction in his facial structure and overall muscle mass as he focused on recovering from the knee issue that ended his season, Südtirol News reported.
“The worst thing about this injury for me is that I cannot compete, I cannot play tennis,” Sinner said. “Even my life outside of tennis is a bit more restricted, simply because I cannot do things that I really enjoy, because I also want to protect the knee as well as possible.”
The former world number one conceded that he is “still a long way” from stepping back onto a match court and wants to avoid rushing his rehabilitation process.
Long-Term Career Protection
In an interview with Sky Italia highlighted by tennisnet.com, Sinner emphasized that his priority is preserving his body for a lengthy professional career. “At first we had an unrealistic comeback goal in mind, so we chose a different path,” Sinner said. “I am a tennis player and not a doctor. Therefore, the only thing left for me to do is trust.”
Sinner acknowledged missing the sport immensely but underscored the necessity of patience. “I have done everything necessary to protect my career long-term, and that is exactly the path we are pursuing now,” he said, adding that he hopes to play for another ten to fifteen years.
Because of the extended layoff, Sinner missed both the ATP Finals in Turin and the Davis Cup Finals in Bologna. His current target is to travel to Melbourne for the Australian Open in January, with potential warm-up matches dependent on his recovery protocols, according to tennisnet.com.
Sinner also adjusted his coaching team for the upcoming campaign, bringing in Swedish coach Magnus Norman to replace Darren Cahill. “I have to improve by one percent every year to progress as a player,” Sinner said.
Alongside his physical rehabilitation, Sinner expanded his digital presence by launching an official TikTok account, telling fans in his first video clip that he intends to share behind-the-scenes footage from his life on and off the tour, SportNews.bz reported.
Next Steps for Australian Open
Sinner’s immediate schedule remains tied to medical milestones and recovery protocols as he targets a competitive return at the Australian Open in January. Sinner’s return is expected at the “Six Kings Slam” in Saudi-Arabia in late December, tennisnet.com reported.
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