Jannik Sinner has left a major hole in the ATP Tour after confirming he would no longer play a part in the 2026 season.

Sinner has been suffering with a knee injury since his Wimbledon triumph and it has forced him out of the entirety of the second half of the season.

He’s been a major miss for the star power of many tournaments, including the ATP Tour’s Asian swing and the upcoming indoor circuit featuring the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals.

Sinner is also going to miss the Davis Cup Finals, as Italy look to win the illustrious title for the fourth time in a row.

The world No 1 played a part in two of those triumphs, in 2023 and 2024, but he decided not to play the tournament in 2025 as the likes of Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli shone for Italy.

More Jannik Sinner news

This year, Luciano Darderi is looking to be the man to replace Sinner and help Italy win the Davis Cup once again.

Speaking at the Almaty Open, Darderi said: “I’m ready. If captain Volandri calls me, I’ll answer. But these are decisions that don’t depend on me. I know there are many strong players, so we’ll see who the captain thinks is more deserving. But I’m definitely ready to compete.

“This year I’ve also improved on hard courts, proving that I’m not just a clay-court player. I reached the round of 16 at the Australian Open and the US Open, losing only to Sinner and Zverev. I’m happy that my level has improved on this surface.

“This is very important if I want to break into the top 10 in the future. I have to keep pushing and play more tournaments on hard courts, as I’ve been doing lately.”

Italy have plenty of high calibre players they can call upon, including Lorenzo Musetti, Matteo Arnaldi, Cobolli, and Berrettini, so competition will be fierce.

Darderi did not show himself in the best light at the Almaty Open, as he was defeated in straight sets by Australia’s James Duckworth.

Duckworth was ranked over 40 places behind Darderi in the ATP Tour rankings before their match, but the Australian was able to win the match 7-5, 7-6.

This is not the first time Darderi has expressed his desire to play for Italy at the Davis Cup.

Asked in September whether he would prefer to finish the season inside the top 20 or win the Davis Cup with Italy, he responded: “If I had to choose just one by the end of the year, it would definitely be the Davis Cup.

“I have been ranked among the top 30 for three consecutive years and still haven’t played. It’s true that there are many players, but I would really like to be part of it.”

Italy will compete against Austria, Czech Republic, Great Britain, Spain, Germany, South Korea, and Canada, with the tournament taking place between the 24th and 29th November.