Just In: Jannik Sinner pulls out of China Open in fresh setback and shares emotional video
Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from next week’s China Open, where he was set to defend his title. The world No. 1 has not played a match since mid-July, when he successfully defended his Wimbledon title. He has since missed the Masters 1000 events in Canada and Cincinnati, and most notably, the US Open, due to a knee injury.
The Italian was expected to make his comeback in Beijing, but has now shared a video statement announcing his withdrawal and admitting that his knee wasn’t where he wanted it to be yet. It remains to be seen whether he will instead return at the Shanghai Masters in early October.
Hello everyone, Jannik here. I want to send the warmest greetings to the Chinese fans. I’m very sorry to announce that I won’t be able to play in Beijing this year,” the defending champion said.
“My knee is not there, where I would like [it] to be, and I am not ready to compete yet. But I will do everything possible to be there on court as soon as I can.
“What I miss the most is, of course, the tournament, the fans, and the atmosphere. I’ve had a great, great time in the past, winning the title also last year, and I’m very disappointed that I cannot defend it this year, but I’m very happy to come back next year. So I wish everyone a very good tournament and I’ll see you all very soon on court again.”
Sinner started the year on a high, becoming the first player to win the first five Masters 1000 events of the season as he lifted trophies in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome.
But he wilted in the heat at the French Open in May, suffering a shock second-round defeat to Juan Manuel Cerundolo in five sets, having led by two sets and 5-1 in the third. Since then, the world No. 1’s only tournament has been Wimbledon, where he defended his crown.
Sinner’s decision to skip the China Open means that his injury absence will extend to almost three months. Should he also miss the Shanghai Masters, the 25-year-old’s next tournament would be the ATP 500 in Vienna in late October, where he is the reigning champion.
Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev are expected to lead the field in Beijing in Sinner’s absence. Djokovic has never lost a match at the tournament, lifting the trophy on all six occasions he has played there. But the Serbian superstar recently dropped out of the top 10 after losing his opening match at the US Open.
