World number one Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the China Open in Beijing as he continues to recover from a right knee injury. The Italian announced that he was not yet ready to return to competitive tennis.
Sinner has not played an official match since winning his fifth Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in July. The injury also forced him to miss the US Open earlier this year.
The 25-year-old had hoped to return to action at the China Open, but he said his knee was still not where he wanted it to be.
Sinner expressed disappointment at missing the tournament, especially because he won the Beijing title last year. He defeated American Learner Tien in the 2025 final to claim his second China Open championship, having also won the tournament in 2023.
The Italian had already missed several hard-court events while recovering from the injury. He skipped the Canadian Open and withdrew from the Cincinnati Open before pulling out of the US Open.
His absence from Beijing means tennis fans will have to wait longer to see him back on court. Sinner said he would continue working toward his return and hoped to compete again as soon as possible.
The withdrawal also changes the men’s China Open field. With the defending champion out, attention has turned to other leading players, including Novak Djokovic, who returned to Beijing after an 11-year absence.
Djokovic has a strong history at the tournament, having won six China Open titles. He began his 2026 campaign with a victory over Portugal’s Nuno Borges.
Sinner’s injury has been a major interruption to what had been a strong season. Before his latest absence, he won Wimbledon in July, defeating Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the final.
The Italian had also been one of the leading players expected to compete at the US Open. However, he announced in August that he needed more time to recover from the knee problem and would not play in New York.
The China Open men’s tournament runs from September 30 to October 6. Sinner’s withdrawal means he will not be able to defend the title he won in Beijing last year.
For now, the 25-year-old is focusing on his recovery rather than rushing back to competition. He said he was disappointed to miss the fans and atmosphere in Beijing but looked forward to returning to the tournament in the future.
His next return date has not been confirmed, leaving fans waiting for further updates on his recovery and plans for the remaining part of the 2026 season.
