Jannik Sinner is disappointed to miss out on Paris Olympics. Photo: Getty Images)
New Delhi: World No.1 men’s tennis player Jannik Sinner has pulled out of hours before the commencement of the Paris Olympics on Wednesday with tonsillitis.
“Sad and disappointed” after being forced to withdraw, the Italian said he began to feel unwell on Monday after practising for a week in Monaco.
“After seeing my doctors on Tuesday and waiting an extra day to give myself some more time to see if my condition would improve, things unfortunately got worse,” the 22-year-old said in a statement.
“I was looking forward to competing with my teammates and the rest of the Italian team, but for now that will have to wait.
“As advised by my medical team, I will now take some time to rest and recover to full health. I’d like to wish the whole team Italia the best for this important event and hope to be back stronger in the future.”
According to Italian media, 207-ranked Andrea Vavassori will take the place of Sinner in men’s singles.
Sinner was due to play in men’s singles and doubles with Lorenzo Musetti. Olympics had been “one of my main goals for this season” Sinner said.
Musetti will now pair up for the men’s doubles tournament with either Luciano Darderi or Matteo Arnaldi.
A certain medal prospect, won his maiden Grand Slam at the Australian Open at the beginning of the year and became the first Italian to become the top ranked player after reaching the semi-finals at the French Open.
He had won three tournaments this year but had been on the mending table in recent weeks, pulling out from the Madrid Open before the quarter-finals with a hip injury and skipped the tournament in Rome before the French Open.
He lost in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon to Daniil Medvedev after taking a medical timeout for dizziness.
Denmark’s Holger Rune joined Sinner to go out with a wrist injury. He has slipped to 16th in the rankings having reached a career-high fourth spot.
“I am really sorry that I will be unable to play the Olympics,” the 21-year-old said on social media.
“I have played with pain in my wrist throughout both the clay and grass season, so I have to take the medical recommendations seriously.”
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