Sinner’s comeback likely sooner than expected

The current world number one has hinted at a return to action at the Six Kings Slam in late December.

Jannik Sinner, currently number one in the world tennis rankings, is apparently set to return to the court before the end of the year. The Italian hinted on Instagram that he would be competing at the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at the end of December. Back in early October, Sinner had announced the premature end to his season due to persistent knee problems.

The 25-year-old played his last tournament to date at Wimbledon in July, where he defeated Germany’s number one, Alexander Zverev, in the final. Zverev, who claimed his first Grand Slam titles this year with victories at the French Open and the US Open, is set to replace Sinner as world number one by the end of the year at the latest.

The Six Kings Slam does not award world ranking points

The Six Kings Slam is an exhibition tournament; no world ranking points are awarded there. The event is scheduled to take place from 27 to 30 December, having previously been postponed. The original date at the end of October could not be maintained due to the war in the Middle East.

On Monday, Sinner posted a poster for the tournament, in which he also appears. However, he did not provide any further explanation. The tournament will also feature Zverev, 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic and, possibly, Carlos Alcaraz, currently ranked number three in the world.