Injured Djokovic out of China Open

Novak Djokovic. AP FILE PHOTO

BEIJING—World number one Novak Djokovic apologized to his fans on Twitter Friday after pulling out of the China Open with a back injury he aggravated during Serbia’s Davis Cup semi-final defeat.

“Because of my back injury, which is very particular, and restrains me from rotating my upper body in serve motion, I am not able to compete on the professional level”, he tweeted.

“I have tried to hit a couple of balls to test my body, but unfortunately, I still feel pain”, the Serb added, who had needed treatment on his back during his US Open final win.

After the Davis Cup semi-final earlier this month, Djokovic was told by doctors that he would need a month of rest.

But he was seen running around a Belgrade football pitch this week in a charity exhibition match.

His participation in the Shanghai Masters starting on October 9 appears to be in doubt. World number three Roger Federer has already withdrawn from that event due to injury, insisting he needs rest after a gruelling year.

Frenchman Richard Gasquet is also out as he battles a wrist injury, organizers said.

Gasquet suffered the injury playing in the Davis Cup semi-final loss to Spain though he played through the pain barrier in reaching the last eight on home ground at Metz last week.

Djokovic could be joined as an absentee from next week’s WTA-ATP tournament by Maria Sharapova.

The second-ranked Russian rolled her ankle on Thursday in a Tokyo loss to Petra Kvitova and quit trailing 4-3 in their quarter-final.