ROME – Jannik Sinner withdrew from the Mutua Madrid Open tournament after reporting pain in his right hip during a match against Russian Karen Khachanov, which he won, organisers of the tournament said.

 Sinner was due to play Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarter finals however he decided to withdraw from the tournament after cancelling a training session on Wednesday afternoon.

 In the previous weeks, Sinner had been showing small signs of discomfort on the pitch, including limping and stretching. The Italian tennis star spoke to the press after his three set victory against Khachanov, which he won 5-7, 6-3, 6-3. He was adamant that he would try to continue playing but would retire if “the situation gets worse.”

 Announcing on social media his decision to retire from the tournament, Sinner said he was "very sad to have to withdraw from [his] next match" but that his hip injury had "slowly been getting more painful" and that his doctors had advised him not to play. Sinner is set to play in Rome in just over a week’s time.

 He currently remains second in the ATP world rankings behind Novak Djokovic. Carlos Alcaraz’s loss in the quarter finals on Monday means that Sinner will remain in second for the time being and does not have to worry about the Spaniard reclaiming the number two spot.

 khg