Sinner bows out of Italian Open in Rome.

Jannik Sinner has pulled out of the 2024 Internazionali BNL d'Italia due to a hip injury, causing widespread disappointment among tennis fans who had hoped to see him play in Rome.

The World Number 2 announced on social media on Saturday that he would not be playing in the tournament, also known as the Italian Open or the Rome Masters, taking place at the Foro Italico from 6-19 May.

In a short statement in Italian the 22-year-old tennis star said: "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."

Non è facile scrivere questo messaggio ma dopo aver parlato di nuovo con i medici e gli specialisti dei miei problemi all'anca devo annunciare che putroppo non potrò giocare a Roma.

Ovviamente sono molto triste di non aver recuperato, essendo uno dei miei tornei preferiti in… pic.twitter.com/kZt63nHjaz

— Jannik Sinner (@janniksin) May 4, 2024

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

Thanking his fans for their messages of support, Sinner said he will work with his team and doctors to be ready for Roland Garros, adding that he would "still come to Rome for a few days and stop by the Foro Italico."

Sinner was one of the top draws in the Italian Open which kicks off on Monday, with 350,000 tennis fans expected to attend the 81st edition of the prestigious sporting event.

Rome has been preparing for the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in the days leading up to the event by setting up a red clay court in the central Piazza del Popolo.

Photo credit: Victor Velter / Shutterstock.com.