Sinner leaves Beijing and risks ceding the top spot to Zverev .

== sync, corrected by elderman == @elder_man

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner announced on Friday that he will not be competing in the ATP 500 Beijing, a tournament which starts on 30th October, thus postponing his return to the circuit once again and paving the way for an unprecedented scenario in world rankings.

Right knee injury blocks the season.

The problem is known: a right knee injury that still prevents the Italian from competing normally.Since the bruise became an obstacle, Sinner has avoided forcing himself, prioritizing full recovery rather than accelerating his return with risk of worsening.

For the fans, the news is a bucket of cold water. The period without world number one on court had already been extending, and each announcement of withdrawal pushes the date of return to a further point in the calendar.

Down in the ATP 500 Beijing changes ranking

The Chinese tournament, which starts on the 30th loses its main attraction and the consequence goes beyond the Beijing key: with Sinner's retirement, it opens up the possibility of Alexander Zverev taking over in an unprecedented way the world ranking.

This is a potential milestone, as Sinner has consistently topped the rankings since his arrival and a scenario in which he loses position even temporarily by absence rather than on-court defeat shows how much an injury can weigh on circuit mathematics.

return follows without definite date

The announcement made on Friday was not accompanied by a date for his return, but it is known that the right knee still does not allow normal competition and that the Italian will continue in treatment until he feels fit to return without restrictions.

What does that mean?

For those who follow the circuit, the next point of attention is Beijing's ATP 500 itself: without Sinner, the tournament may crown Zverev as a new leader in the ranking an unprecedented fact and that, depending on the return of the Italian, can have validity only short or extend for more weeks.

== sync, corrected by elderman == @elder_man