Sinner Turns 25: A Family Birthday And A Knee To Heal

Jannik Sinner turns 25 today, August 16, 2026, and spends the birthday at home instead of on court. The world No. 1 pulled out of the Cincinnati Masters 1000 with a right knee problem and celebrates privately with girlfriend Laila Hasanovic and family, before leaving for the United States.

Announcing the withdrawal on August 9, he was blunt.

"My right knee is bothering me and, despite the hard work done with my medical team, I have to accept that I'm not ready to compete yet. […] I'm now focusing on preparing for the US Open."

It's his second straight withdrawal on North American hard courts, after pulling out of the Canadian Masters 1000. In recent weeks he's undergone examinations and physiotherapy at JMedical in Turin.

He turns 25 with five Slams to his name: the 2024 and 2025 Australian Open, the 2024 US Open, and Wimbledon 2025 and 2026. He has 30 ATP titles and 84 weeks at No. 1, a mark that puts him ahead of Lleyton Hewitt's 80 and closing in on Andre Agassi's 101. With 13,450 points, he stays on top at least until early October, whatever happens in New York.

The US Open starts August 30 and ends September 13. Sinner will arrive without having played a single official match on American hard courts this summer, and with unfinished business from the four-set final loss to Carlos Alcaraz last September. The date of his flight to New York depends on how the coming days' checks go. Every extra day on the ground is more time to adjust to the time difference and the humidity.