Jannik Sinner. Francois Nel/Getty Images
Jannik Sinner has announced his withdrawal from the Olympics after being diagnosed with tonsillitis.
The No. 1 tennis player in the world, Sinner, 22, broke the difficult news via Instagram on Wednesday, July 24.
“I am saddened to inform you that unfortunately I will not be able to participate in the Paris Olympic Games,” Sinner wrote in Italian, per Google Translate. “After a good week of clay training I started to feel unwell. I spent a couple of days resting and during a visit the doctor found tonsillitis and strongly advised me against playing.”
In June, Sinner became the first Italian man in history to become world No. 1, roughly six months after he won the 2024 Australian Open, his first major title.
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His post continued, “Missing the Games is a huge disappointment as it was one of my main goals for this season. I couldn’t wait to have the honor of representing my country in this very important event.”
Sinner sent his best wishes to the Italian Olympians, who Sinner said he would “support from home.”
“Go Italy,” his somber post concluded.
In a separate statement, Sinner revealed he met with doctors on Tuesday and took “an extra day to give myself some more time to see if my condition would improve.”
However, Sinner explained, “things unfortunately got worse.”
The decision was made for Sinner to withdraw and he will now “take some time to rest and recover to full health.”
In addition to competing in singles, Sinner was also scheduled to be on the top-seeded men’s doubles team alongside countryman Lorenzo Musetti, who made a run to the Wimbledon semifinals earlier this month.
Jannik Sinner. Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images
Sinner discussed his excitement about representing his country in the Summer Games after his quarterfinal loss to Daniil Medvedev at Wimbledon on July 9.
“It’s one of the biggest events we have throughout the year,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it.”
With the withdrawal of Sinner, Novak Djokovic ascends to the top seed with Carlos Alcaraz nabbing No. 2. Taylor Fritz, the top-ranked American, jumps to the eighth seed.
In addition, Great Britain’s Andy Murray announced he would be retiring after competing in Paris.
“Arrived in Paris for my last ever tennis tournament,” Murray, 37, wrote via X on Tuesday. “Competing for Team GB has been by far the most memorable weeks of my career and I’m extremely proud to get to do it one final time!”
Murray is scheduled to play in the men’s singles tournament, as well as the doubles competition alongside Dan Evans.
Draws will be revealed on Thursday, July 25, before men’s and women’s singles and doubles tournaments get underway Saturday, July 27.