Jannik Sinner was due to be top seed at this year's Paris
Olympic Games which kick off on Saturday at Roland Garros but in an unfortunate sequence of events, he has had to withdraw and like Tokyo 2021 will not play for Italy.
Sinner was a concern earlier in the week with the World No.1 who has just been on holiday with girlfriend Anna Kalinskaya had a fever on returning. He had postponed his plans to fly to France until Friday instead of Wednesday. But these alarm bells have been heightened as he has now withdrawn from tonsillitis after a batch of training where he fell unwell.
He will now not play until at least Canada during the US Hard Court swing and will likely head there when recovered with Kalinskaya playing in DC over the next week. But it is a crushing blow for Italy who will now have Jasmine Paolini and Lorenzo Musetti as their leading lights.
Andrea Vavassori replaces him in the team and Matteo Arnaldi or Luciano Darderi will play with Musetti in doubles. Vavassori is playing with Errani in mixed doubles anyway so that doesn't change. But Musetti was due to be top seed with Sinner. Now they will not be. It is also a blow given that Sinner anchored his country at Davis Cup last year and it will now be up to the rest of the team to fill the void.
"I am saddened to inform you that unfortunately I will not be able to participate in the Olympic Games in Paris," wrote Sinner on social media.
"After a good week of training on clay I started to feel unwell. I spent a couple of days resting and on a visit the doctor found tonsillitis and strongly advised against playing. Missing the Games is a big disappointment as it was one of my main goals for this season. I was looking forward to the honour of representing my country in this very important event.
"Good luck to all the Italian athletes that I will support from home. Forza Italia."
