Jannik Sinner won't be able to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics after he was forced to withdraw from the Olympic Games.
The Italian started the 2024 season on a very high note by winning the Australian Open, and for a while, he looked like the best player in the world. While he's still world number one, Sinner hasn't had too many great weeks recently, as both Roland Garros and Wimbledon ended in disappointment for him.
He wasn't bad at either event, and he played really well, but he missed out on the trophies, and when someone is at his level, that's what they are aiming at.
The Olympics proved a chance for redemption. Sinner was slated to be one of the favorites to win the gold medal, with a top-three finish almost guaranteed, at least judging by how he played this year.
That's how well he played. Unfortunately, the Italian was forced to withdraw from the event due to tonsillitis. There were rumors about Sinner possibly not making it to Paris, as he delayed his trip to the French capital.
Nobody really knew the exact issue, but we did know that he didn't travel when the rest of the Italian team was already in Paris, and that was already a bad sign. Now, the Italian confirmed that he won't be playing at the Olympic Games, posting a statement on social media announcing the decision.
"I am saddened to inform you that unfortunately I will not be able to participate in the Paris Olympic Games. 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."
"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. Good luck to all the Italian athletes who I will support from home. Forza Italia."
As Sinner pointed out, missing the Games is a huge disappointment for any athlete, but tonsillitis has to be addressed. Andrey Rublev dealt with it during his stay at the Madrid Open and had multiple trips to the emergency room because of it, so not playing is ultimately the wisest decision.
Still, it's upsetting for the 22-year-old that it happened like this, but Sinner will have chances to play at the Olympics in the future. It's not the end of the world, and he'll be back stronger sometime in the coming weeks.
The US Open is not too far away, and expect a very motivated Sinner at that time. He provided another announcement to the ATP's official website, further explaining his issue.
"As I said this is upsetting for me and I hope to be able to play the Olympics in the future. 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."