Tokyo Olympics: List of tennis players who have pulled out/ withdrawn from Tokyo Games- With less than a month left for the Tokyo Olympics, a number of athletes including top tennis superstars have withdrawn from the Tokyo Games. The sole reason behind that is the busy schedule due to French Open and Wimbledon along with ATP and WTA tours which are coupled with the quarantine amid the COVID-19 situation in Japan. There are a number of tennis superstars who have pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics. They are Stan Wawrinka, Nick Kyrgios, Simona Halep, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Simona Halep, and Dominic Thiem.
Tokyo Olympics: List of tennis players who have pulled out/ withdrawn from Tokyo Games
Nick Kyrios
ust days after retiring midway through Wimbledon 2021, Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has confirmed that he won’t be participating in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics saying that playing without spectators “doesn’t feel right” to him. The mega event kick starts on July 23 but will be played in empty courts, with Japan declaring an emergency amid the rise of Covid-19 cases. The 26-year-old further added that an injury was also a factor in his withdrawal and maintained that it was his “dream” to compete at an Olympics.
Stanislas Wawrinka
Former world number three Stanislas Wawrinka has withdrawn from the upcoming Tokyo Olympics which will kick-start from July 23.
Wawrinka who is a three times majors champion has won a Gold medal in the men’s doubles event at the 2008 Summer Olympics, partnering with Roger Federer for Switzerland. “He is very disappointed not to be able to play in the Games and represent Switzerland in Tokyo,” said a statement by his management team.
Earlier this month, Wawrinka underwent his second left foot surgery of the year. The Swiss star has constantly struggled to find his A-game since the knee injury in 2017 when he underwent two surgeries in August and skipped the rest of the season that year. Wawrinka claimed the title in Geneva in May that year, and that remains his last ATP trophy.
Simona Halep
Romania tennis player Simona Halep has confirmed she would not be participating in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
“Nothing brings me more pride than representing Romania, but sadly the recovery from my calf injury requires more time and I have made the decision to withdraw from the Olympic Games this summer. After the disappointment of missing the French Open and Wimbledon,” said Halep in a tweet.
In another tweet, Halep said: “Having to skip the Olympics is incredibly tough to digest, but I am determined to come back stronger I will be watching and cheering on the Romanian athletes from home.”
Earlier, defending women’s singles champion Halep pulled out of the upcoming Wimbledon 2021 due to a calf injury.
Tokyo Olympics: List of tennis players who have pulled out/ withdrawn from Tokyo Games
Serena Williams
American tennis star Serena Williams has also decided to skip the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
“Yeah, I’m actually not on the Olympic list, so… Not that I’m aware of. If so, then I shouldn’t be on it,” Sky Sports quoted Williams in a media interaction ahead of the Wimbledon.
“There’s a lot of reasons that I made my Olympic decision. I don’t really want to – I don’t feel like going into them today. Maybe another day. Sorry.”
“I have not thought about it. In the past it’s been a wonderful place for me. I really haven’t thought about it, so I’m going to keep not thinking about it,” Serena added.
Dominic Thiem
World No. 4 Dominic Thiem will not compete in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, the Austrian tennis star has confirmed.
“Hi everybody, I have some sad news to share with you all. After talking with my team and analysing the situation I have taken the very difficult decision to withdraw from competing in the Tokyo Olympics,” Thiem said in a statement on Twitter. Thiem doesn’t feel “ready” to play his best game in Tokyo. The tennis star said his goal is to give his best at Wimbledon and defend his US Open title.
“For me, like all athletes, taking part in the Olympics and representing my country is a huge honour and that makes this decision even tougher. However, 2021 did not start as expected and I don’t feel ready to play my best in Tokyo,” Thiem said
“These last two weeks I have been training hard – and I’m starting to improve my conditioning and concentration little by little. My goal is to work hard in the coming weeks, give my best at Wimbledon and keep training and hopefully defend my US Open title.”
“I wish the entire Austrian team travelling to Tokyo all the best. I am young and I hope to be able to play for Austria at the Olympics in Paris 2024. See you all soon,” he added.
Rafael Nadal
Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal had announced that he has decided to skip this year’s Wimbledon and the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The 13-time French Open champion said his goal is to prolong his career and to compete at the highest level of the sport.
“Hi all, I have decided not to participate at this year’s Championships at Wimbledon and the Olympic Games in Tokyo. It’s never an easy decision to take but after listening to my body and discuss (discussing) it with my team I understand that it is the right decision,” Nadal said in a statement on Twitter.
“The goal is to prolong my career and continue to do what makes me happy, that is to compete at the highest level and keep fighting for those professional and personal goals at the maximum level of competition,” he added.
Tokyo Olympics: List of tennis players who have pulled out/ withdrawn from Tokyo Games
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(with ANI inputs)
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