Jannik Sinner updates his schedule and takes everyone by surprise

Jannik Sinner’s recovery is progressing quickly: the world No. 1 will remain in Turin through the end of the week to continue his treatment at J-Medical, which is necessary to properly treat the extra-articular tendinopathy in his right knee. This cautious approach is inevitable following the hiatus that forced him to miss the U.S. Open and has kept him off the court since his Wimbledon final victory over Alexander Zverev on July 12.

The surprise, however, comes from his plans for the immediate future. Sinner has, in fact, returned to the court at the Circolo della Stampa Sporting, testing his footwork and seeing how it feels with the racket. The signs are positive, and there is optimism that he will resume training as early as next week. And this is where the champion takes everyone by surprise.

Many, in fact, had imagined a direct return to the Shanghai Masters 1000, skipping the Beijing ATP 500 out of an abundance of caution. The idea of skipping his title defense in the Chinese capital seemed almost inevitable, to avoid risks. Instead, Sinner has chosen the opposite path: he aims to be on the court in Beijing for the tournament taking place from September 30 to October 6, which marks the first stop on an Asian tour that will continue in Shanghai starting October 7. His recovery could therefore be faster than expected—fingers crossed.

In the meantime, Sinner hasn’t isolated himself. His presence as an interested spectator at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza and at the Stadium in Turin for the Juventus–Milan match—where he received applause from fans without stealing the spotlight—demonstrated a perfect balance: approachability, yes, but without distractions from his rehabilitation process. It’s a way to stay close to the public while keeping his focus on his work.