Jannik Sinner has made the “very sad” announcement that he will not play the Italian Open due to his hip injury.
World No 2 Sinner posted on social media on Saturday afternoon that he had spoken to specialists about his injury, which saw him withdraw from his Madrid Open quarter-final this week.
The reigning Australian Open champion and current leader in the ATP Race to Turin, Sinner’s withdrawal from the tournament is a huge blow.
Competing on home soil, Sinner would have been the face of the tournament, and hopes were high that he could end a 48-year wait for a men’s singles champion at the event.
But those hopes – and the chance of him becoming world No 1 at his home tournament – have now been dashed.
He wrote: “It is not easy to write this message but after speaking again with the doctors and specialists about my hip problems I have to announce that unfortunately I will not be able to play in Rome.
“Obviously I’m very sad that I didn’t recover, it being one of my favourite tournaments ever. I couldn’t wait to come back and play at home in front of the Italian crowd.
“I will still come to Rome for a few days and stop by the Foro Italico.
“Thank you for your messages of support which I appreciate very much! Now I will work with my team and doctors to be ready for Roland Garros.”
Sinner’s withdrawal means that two of the world’s top three will not be in action at the Foro Italico, with world No 3 Carlos Alcaraz announcing his withdrawal on Friday.
World No 1 Novak Djokovic will be in action and will be playing for the first time since Monte Carlo – having withdrawn from Madrid.
The second major of the year the French Open is three weeks away, but Sinner’s withdrawal from his home Masters 1000 event also casts doubts over whether he will be fit in Paris.
A former quarter-finalist at Roland Garros, he fell in the second round a year ago and will be in prime position to usurp Djokovic as the No 1 player should he be fit.
However, with the Italian also looking far from fully fit in his Monte Carlo last four loss a few weeks ago, he faces a race against time to regain his fitness.
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