Jannik Sinner rules himself out of Rome with hip injury

Jannik Sinner has joined Carlos Alcaraz in withdrawing from the Italian Open in Rome next week because of injury.

The Australian Open champion pulled out of the Madrid Open on Wednesday ahead of the quarter-finals with a hip problem and will not be fit in time for his home tournament.

Sinner now faces a race to be healthy for the French Open later this month, with Alcaraz in the same boat as he continues to battle a forearm issue.

Sinner wrote on X: “It is not easy to write this message but, after speaking again with the doctors and specialists about my hip problems, I have to announce that unfortunately I will not be able to play in Rome.

“Obviously I’m very sad that I didn’t recover, it being one of my favourite tournaments ever. I couldn’t wait to come back and play at home in front of the Italian crowd.

“I will still come to Rome for a few days and stop by the Foro Italico. Thank you for your messages of support which I appreciate very much! Now I will work with my team and doctors to be ready for Roland Garros.”

It remains to be seen whether world number four Daniil Medvedev, who was also forced out of Madrid by injury, will compete in Rome, but Novak Djokovic is set to return after opting to miss the tournament in the Spanish capital.