World number one Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from next week's Shanghai Masters, extending an injury absence that has kept him off the tour since his Wimbledon triumph in July.
The 25-year-old Italian announced the decision on Instagram on Saturday, writing: "Unfortunately, I won't be able to play at the Rolex Shanghai Masters this year as I had hoped. I always enjoy playing in front of the Shanghai fans and I'm very sorry that I won't be able to do so next week."
Three months and counting
Sinner has not played a competitive match since beating Alexander Zverev in the Wimbledon final on July 12. The knee injury has already forced him to miss the entire North American hard-court swing, including the US Open, and the ongoing China Open in Beijing, where he was the defending champion. He had earlier pulled out of the Beijing event in late September, saying his knee was "not there where I would like to be".
The Masters 1000 event in Shanghai runs from October 7 to 18 and features a strong field led by four-time champion Novak Djokovic, along with Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Ben Shelton, Felix Auger-Aliassime and defending champion Valentin Vacherot. Sinner himself won the Shanghai title in 2024, defeating Djokovic in the final.
No. 1 race opens up
Sinner's absence could boost Alexander Zverev's push to finish the season as world number one. The German, who won the French Open and the US Open this year, has emerged as the Italian's closest challenger — and could move to the top of the rankings for the first time if he wins both the China Open in Beijing and the Shanghai Masters.
Sources: Reuters, Al Jazeera
The 25-year-old Italian announced the decision on Instagram on Saturday, writing: "Unfortunately, I won't be able to play at the Rolex Shanghai Masters this year as I had hoped. I always enjoy playing in front of the Shanghai fans and I'm very sorry that I won't be able to do so next week."
Three months and counting
Sinner has not played a competitive match since beating Alexander Zverev in the Wimbledon final on July 12. The knee injury has already forced him to miss the entire North American hard-court swing, including the US Open, and the ongoing China Open in Beijing, where he was the defending champion. He had earlier pulled out of the Beijing event in late September, saying his knee was "not there where I would like to be".
The Masters 1000 event in Shanghai runs from October 7 to 18 and features a strong field led by four-time champion Novak Djokovic, along with Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Ben Shelton, Felix Auger-Aliassime and defending champion Valentin Vacherot. Sinner himself won the Shanghai title in 2024, defeating Djokovic in the final.
No. 1 race opens up
Sinner's absence could boost Alexander Zverev's push to finish the season as world number one. The German, who won the French Open and the US Open this year, has emerged as the Italian's closest challenger — and could move to the top of the rankings for the first time if he wins both the China Open in Beijing and the Shanghai Masters.
Sources: Reuters, Al Jazeera
