Sinner withdraws from China Open as knee injury delays return

Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the China Open because his knee has not recovered sufficiently for him to compete, extending the world number one's absence from tennis. BBC Sport reported on Friday that the Italian will not defend his Beijing title when the tournament begins on September 30.

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In a video posted on X, Sinner said his knee remained short of the condition he needed to return. He expressed disappointment at missing the event and said he would work towards getting back on court as soon as possible. His announcement did not give a confirmed date for his next competitive appearance.

The 25-year-old has not played since beating Alexander Zverev in the Wimbledon final in July. According to BBC Sport, Sinner previously won the China Open in 2023 and 2025. This year's tournament runs until October 6, with Zverev and Novak Djokovic among the players still expected to take part.

The withdrawal follows a disrupted North American hard-court schedule. Sky Sports reported that Sinner skipped the Canadian Open before withdrawing from Cincinnati and the US Open. The ATP's August 9 announcement identified a right-knee problem as the reason for his Cincinnati absence. At that stage, Sinner said his focus was on recovering in time for the season's final Grand Slam.

That target also proved beyond reach. In its August 21 report, the ATP said Sinner had resumed practice in Monte Carlo but found he needed more recovery time. His team then planned to remain in Europe with medical and performance staff, aiming for the Asian tournaments in Beijing and Shanghai. Friday's decision rules out the Beijing part of that intended comeback, without confirming what will happen in Shanghai.

The interruption came after a highly successful start to Sinner's season. The ATP recorded a 44-3 match record and six titles at the time of his US Open withdrawal. He had won the opening five Masters 1000 tournaments of 2026, in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome, before claiming his fifth major trophy at Wimbledon.