Men's tennis number one Jannik Sinner withdrew from the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, days before it begins, after falling ill with tonsillitis.

The Italian said he was "sad and disappointed" to drop out, adding that he had started feeling unwell on Monday after a practice week in Monaco.

"After seeing my doctors on Tuesday and waiting an extra day to give myself some more time to see if my condition would improve, things unfortunately got worse," Sinner, 22, said in a statement.

"I was looking forward to competing with my teammates and the rest of the Italian team, but for now that will have to wait.

"As advised by my medical team, I will now take some time to rest and recover to full health. I'd like to wish the whole team Italia the best for this important event and hope to be back stronger in the future."

Sinner said the Olympics had been "one of my main goals for this season" and was due to play in the men's singles and the doubles with Lorenzo Musetti. (AFP)