Beijing: Top-ranked Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the China Open because of a back injury, organisers confirmed on Thursday.
Tournament organizers said the defending champion withdrew because the latest medical checks show the injury he suffered while winning the US Open has not yet healed.
"Before he set out to Beijing, Djokovic had another physical check. Unfortunately, the result showed that he didn't recover as expected," the organisers stated.
The tournament in Beijing starts on Monday. It is not yet clear whether the 24-year-old Serb will also skip the Shanghai Masters that starts in two weeks.
World No.1 Djokovic has said the partial rupture of a back muscle that forced him to quit his Davis Cup semi-final match against Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro is not serious, but required rest.
The Serb has enjoyed a glorious season, having won 10 ATP events, including three of the four Grand Slams. However, his health underwent slow damage due to unceasing tour around the world.
Djokovic rushed to the Davis Cup competition after his victory at the US Open earlier this month, only to swallow a second-set retreat after re-injuring his back and rib during a match against Argentine big-server Juan Martin Del Potro. Serbia lost the chance to defend the Davis Cup after Djokovic's withdrawal.
Just four days ago, Djokovic, a two-time winner in Beijing, expressed his wish to play for the third time in the Chinese capital, but finally changed his mind following his doctor's advice.
According to the official website of the China Open, Djokovic was in close contact with the organisers last week, paying special attention to the China Tour and looking forward to activities with local tennis star Li Na.
With the season nearing its end, a bunch of players have deleted the China trip from their schedule, including Richard Gasquet, Robin Soderling and Venus Williams. Swiss legend Roger Federer has also decided to skip the Shanghai Masters, which will open in two weeks time.
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