Sept 25 (Reuters) - World number one Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the China Open, saying on Friday that he is not yet ready to compete as he continues to recover from the knee injury that also forced him to miss the US Open.
The 25-year-old Italian has not played since capturing his fifth major title at Wimbledon in July.
Sinner skipped the Canadian Open and withdrew from the Cincinnati Open, two key hard-court tune-up events, before also pulling out of the US Open.
"I'm very sorry to announce that
I won't be able to play in Beijing this year," Sinner said on social media.
"My knee is not where I would like it to be, and I'm not ready to compete yet, but I will do everything possible to be back 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 time in the past, including winning the title 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 defeated American Learner Tien in straight sets in the Beijing final last year to win his second China Open title after his triumph in 2023.
His withdrawal leaves Novak Djokovic as one of the headline attractions at the ATP 500 event. The 24-times Grand Slam champion will return to the China Open after an 11-year absence as he looks to rebuild momentum following a shock first-round exit at the US Open that saw him slip to world number 12.
The 39-year-old Serb is returning to Beijing, where he boasts a perfect record and a tournament-best six titles.
The men's draw at the China Open runs from September 30 to October 6.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Goa;)
