Novak Djokovic plans to reach out to Jannik Sinner after an injury ended the top-ranked player's season, saying Thursday he knows how difficult it is to come back after a lengthy layoff.
Sinner announced on Tuesday that he will miss the rest of the year due to knee inflammation. The five-time major winner has not played since July when he beat Alexander Zverev in the Wimbledon final. He then withdrew from the U.S. Open because of a right knee injury.
“I haven’t been in touch with Jannik since he got injured, I just saw the news two days ago. So I’ll reach out to him to see how he’s doing,” Djokovic said Thursday at the Shanghai Masters. “As someone that has been through some major injuries in my career.”
For so long an ever-present on the ATP men's tour, Djokovic made the decision in late July 2017 to sit out the rest of that year after struggling with acute pain in his right elbow.
“I had a surgery, and it was the only big surgery that I had,” the 24-time major champion Djokovic said. "So I’m aware of how difficult that is making that comeback.”
The 39-year-old Djokovic said the process extended beyond the physical healing.
“Then it’s mental, you know. You’re on the court and you’re thinking ‘Am I really completely healed and free to make this run?’” said Djokovic, who recently won the China Open for his 102nd career title. “I mean for him if it’s a knee. Obviously it’s affecting everything, it’s affecting every single movement.”
Sinner had already announced he would miss the Shanghai Masters. He’ll also miss the Paris Masters in November — where he will not defend the 1,000 points he gained by winning it last year — and the ATP Finals later that month. Plus, he won’t be able to play for host and three-time defending champion Italy in the Davis Cup Final 8.
“You know for sure that tennis misses him," said Djokovic, who faces Hubert Hurkacz in the second round in Shanghai.
Sinner had a 30-match winning streak this year before his meltdown in a second-round defeat at the French Open. His great rival Carlos Alcaraz missed 4 ½ months this year due to a right wrist injury. The seven-time Grand Slam champion, who has won all four majors, clinched the Japan Open on Tuesday and is playing in Shanghai.
So is the No. 2-ranked Zverev, who won the French Open and the U.S. Open titles. The big-serving German is almost certain to take the No. 1 ranking from Sinner, given how many points the Italian will lose and how far behind No. 3 Alcaraz is.
“It is a talking point for everybody at the moment but I am motivated to keep fighting for good things," Zverev told ATP Media on Thursday. “I have big motivation to play and there are certain things I want to achieve and of course I am fighting for."
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