Sinner withdraws from beijing due to knee Injury

Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the China Open in Beijing due to a knee injury, meaning he will not be able to defend his title from last year.

Sinner pulled out of Beijing

The world No. 1 made his decision on Friday, saying that his knee isn't ready yet for competitive tennis. Sinner hasn't been on the court since winning Wimbledon in July and he has also missed the US Open because of the same right-knee problem.

The Italian won the China Open last year after beating Learner Tien in the final. He was due to begin his title defence at the ATP 500 tournament on September 30.

Sinner delays his return

Sinner said that he was disappointed to miss the tournament and his fans but he would continue working towards his return. He will be absent from competitive tennis to around two and a half months.

The Italian is now expected to be more focus on his recovery before deciding when he will be ready to compete again. His withdrawal also means that Novak Djokovic will be one of the headline names in the Beijing draw.