World number one Jannik Sinner has announced his withdrawal from the upcoming Shanghai Masters as he continues to recover from a knee injury that has kept him out of competition since winning the Wimbledon title in July. The 25-year-old Italian has not played since his victory at the All England Club, missing the North American hardcourt swing, including the US Open and the current ATP 500 event in Beijing.
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In an Instagram post on Saturday, Sinner stated, "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."
The Masters 1000 event is scheduled from October 7 to 18 and features a strong lineup including four-time champion Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Ben Shelton, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and defending champion Valentin Vacherot. Sinner claimed the Shanghai title in 2024, defeating Djokovic in the final.
Sinner's withdrawal may enhance Zverev's chances to finish the season as world number one. The German, who has won the French Open and US Open this year, is positioned as Sinner's closest rival. Zverev can ascend to the top of the rankings for the first time by winning both the China Open in Beijing and the Shanghai Masters.
(Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)