Jannik Sinner (Image: REUTERS)
The exhibition tournament, which was initially scheduled for October, has been moved to December 27-30 amid security concerns in the Middle East. With the Australian Open scheduled for January, the late-December target could offer him an opportunity to get valuable match practice before the first Grand Slam of 2027. Because if we rush things we could have more serious problems,” Sinner said, but I have to respect the protocols at the moment.
“That (is the target) but we all know the situation what’s there at the moment, which is not the best, so this is not our decision as players, this is a more general decision,” he said. “The aim is to go to Australia, the aim is also maybe to do a couple of tournaments first. Sinner acknowledged that the event remains a possibility rather than a certainty, with the wider situation in the region also playing a part in the decision. Sinner’s last appearance came in the Wimbledon final in July, where he defeated Alexander Zverev to claim the fifth Grand Slam title of his career. However, a right knee problem subsequently forced him to miss several tournaments, including the US Open. Sinner has reiterated that his priority is to return fully fit rather than risk a setback by making an early comeback.
The rescheduled Six Kings Slam in Riyadh is among the events Sinner is targeting as he looks to regain match fitness before the Australian Open.