Jannik Sinner’s reign is in jeopardy; the former champion’s comments are sparking debate online

Partly due to Carlos Alcaraz’s absence from the tour, Jannik Sinner is dominating the ATP rankings, and following his Wimbledon triumph, he has set his sights on the U.S. Open. The South Tyrolean’s reign is, according to many, unchallengeable, but Andrea Petkovic sees it differently.

The former German champion of Serbian origin, a winner of seven WTA singles titles, warned Sinner in an interview with Sport1: “Right now, there’s a real possibility of seeing Alexander Zverev become world number one. If he continues the way he left us at Wimbledon, I think he has a good chance.”

“Then, if Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz—when he returns—continue to set this pace, it won’t be easy,” Petkovic pointed out. “Honestly, his evolution as a player is evident, and even at Wimbledon he showed that he’s adapted to this; now he’s more mature and more solid on the court, and he has a clear sense of the attitude and identity he wants to project on the court.”

To continue his preparation for the U.S. Open, Jannik Sinner has decided not to participate in the Montreal Masters 1000. The world No. 1 has thus passed up the (albeit very difficult) opportunity to complete the Masters 1000 collection in a single calendar year after winning the first five events of 2026.

His decision underscores just how crucial calendar management has become for top players. This issue inevitably reignites the debate within the ATP. For some time now, the tour’s organizers have been considering the impact of the schedules and strategic withdrawals, which, in effect, weaken top-tier tournaments.

For the second consecutive year, Montreal is losing three of its main draws: Sinner and Djokovic due to withdrawal, and Alcaraz due to injury.