Sinner's Uncertainty: What was he doing in Lyon?

Jose Morón - 3 Oct 2026 | 06:08
ATP Jannik Sinner

While it has been expected for days that he will decide whether to play in Shanghai or not, the Italian has been seen at a knee surgery specialist center.

Go to comments section Preferir Puntodebreak en Google
Sinner in Lyon.

Rumors about Jannik Sinner and his knee injury continue to grow. The world number one was supposed to decide this week whether he was ready to return in Shanghai, but far from having a definitive answer, he was seen on Friday in Lyon at a specialized knee surgery center. This unexpected appearance has drawn all eyes back to the actual physical state of Sinner.

It all began in early August. Sinner started to feel discomfort and went through various medical checks in Italy. At that time, there was a certain optimism and even indications that the problem was not particularly serious. Sky Sport later explained that it was an extra-articular tendon inflammation and that the goal was to recover without taking risks. However, the Italian ended up withdrawing first from Montreal and Cincinnati, and later from the US Open. A month and a half later, he has also been unable to play in Beijing, and the doubts keep growing.

The most striking aspect is precisely that. A long time has passed and there is still no clear date for his return nor what exact injury he has nor the estimated recovery period. When he announced his withdrawal in New York, Sinner himself explained that he needed more time to recover, and his roadmap then pointed to the Asian tour. Beijing has already been ruled out. Now all attention is on Shanghai.

Will Sinner play in Shanghai, yes or no?

Last Wednesday, Sky Sport Italia assured that the feelings were positive. According to their information, Sinner was training more intensively in Monte Carlo, the injury was evolving favorably, and on Thursday he was supposed to decide with his team whether to travel to Shanghai.

We are now on Saturday and the decision has still not been made public. This is where a new situation arises that has sparked questions surrounding the Italian. On Friday, Sinner was seen in Lyon, far from Shanghai, in a city that has some of the most prestigious sports trauma medical centers in Europe. And everyone began to wonder what was going on.

What was Jannik Sinner doing in Lyon?

The story began with some photographs posted on social media. Sinner was spotted at the restaurant Le Santy, located very close to the Centre Orthopédique Santy, a reference clinic specialized, among other areas, in knee problems and sports surgery. A fan took a picture with him and later tagged the orthopedic center in that Instagram post.

From there, speculation began. At that center works Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet, a renowned orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee injuries and sports medicine. Some Italian media have suggested that Sinner traveled to Lyon to seek a new evaluation of his knee before making a definitive decision about Shanghai.

However, it is important to emphasize that this is not confirmed officially. There is currently no communication from Sinner's team stating that he has been examined by Sonnery-Cottet, let alone that there is a decision made regarding a possible surgical intervention. But what happened afterward did not precisely help to quell the rumors.

 

 

The restaurant where Sinner ate posted about the tennis player, but that publication was deleted shortly after. The girl also removed the mention of the clinic from her photo. This only fueled further rumors about what was happening, and people on social media were not understanding anything at all.

La Gazzetta dello Sport also points out that there is no official confirmation linking the Italian's trip directly to a potential operation. Thus, the doubts continue to multiply.

What is really happening with Jannik Sinner? How is his knee? Did he travel to Lyon solely to obtain a second medical opinion before returning, or is there a greater concern? For now, there is no answer.

The Shanghai Masters 1000 is just around the corner. Jannik should debut between Friday, October 2, and Saturday, October 3, so if he wants to play, he would need to travel as soon as possible to acclimatize to the tournament conditions. For now, Sinner has yet to confirm his participation. Just a few days ago, there was optimism regarding his return, and now he appears in Lyon near an important orthopedic center specializing in knees.

As of today, we only have speculations and rumors instead of certainties, but after more than two months without competing, several consecutive withdrawals, and without a firm date for his return, every movement of the world number one raises the same question: what is really happening with Jannik Sinner's knee?

 

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Incertidumbre Sinner: ¿Qué hacía en Lyon?