Rusedski backs injured Sinner for Australian Open despite knee concerns

Jannik Sinner has not played a competitive match since his Wimbledon final defeat in July, and his participation at the 2027 Australian Open remains the subject of debate rather than certainty.

The world No 1 announced earlier this month that persistent inflammation in his right knee would keep him out for the rest of the 2026 season, ruling him out of the US Open, the Cincinnati Open, the Shanghai Masters, the Paris Masters and his title defence at the ATP Finals in Turin, according to Yahoo Sports.

Despite that lengthy lay-off, Greg Rusedski has tipped Sinner to win in Melbourne if he arrives fit, pointing to the way past greats have returned from the off-season without missing a beat.

Speaking on Off Court with Greg, as reported by Tennis365, Rusedski said Andre Agassi and Roger Federer had both shown up in Australia after a break and gone on to win the title, adding: "You tell me Sinner's going to forget how to hit a tennis ball?"

Rusedski said he was not concerned about the Italian's layoff provided he returns in full health. "If Jannik's healthy, ready to go, he's ready to win no matter where he plays. He's that good," he said.

He also likened Sinner's intensity to Agassi's, saying someone had compared the way Sinner strikes the ball to Agassi's ferocity but with a steadier week-to-week mindset.

The comparison to Carlos Alcaraz's run at this year's US Open was also raised by Tennis365, with the Spaniard reaching the quarter-finals on his return after four and a half months out, offering a point of reference for what a rusty Sinner might still achieve.

Sinner's own Australian Open history supports some of Rusedski's optimism. He won back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025 before losing to Novak Djokovic in a five-set semi-final in 2026, and his overall record in Melbourne stands at 27-5, an 84% win rate that Tennis365 notes makes it his second-best performing Grand Slam.

Not every assessment of his recovery has been as encouraging, however. Marco Panichi, Sinner's former fitness trainer who also worked with Djokovic for more than six years, told Ubitennis that the injury could be iliotibial band syndrome, or ITBS, according to Yahoo Sports.

The iliotibial band is a strip of connective tissue running along the outside of the thigh from the hip to the upper tibia, helping stabilise the hip and knee during movement.

ITBS develops when repeated loading irritates the tissue where it passes over the lower femur, a condition more commonly associated with distance running but one that can also affect tennis players because of the repeated acceleration, braking and changes of direction the sport demands.

Sinner's game relies heavily on exceptional lateral movement, rapid recovery between shots and balance while striking aggressively, all of which place repeated strain on the knees during extended rallies, Yahoo Sports reported.

Unlike a muscle injury that tends to respond predictably to rest, an overuse condition such as ITBS can resurface once the affected area is exposed again to its previous workload, which is why Panichi's warning carries weight over how straightforward Sinner's path back to full fitness will be.

Sinner is widely expected to return in time for the Australian Open in January, but whether he arrives at Melbourne Park fully recovered or still managing the same knee problem that ended his 2026 season early remains to be confirmed.