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Berlin, June 18 (HS). World number three Aryna Sabalenka and world number 10 Ons Jabeur of Tunisia will not participate in the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Sabalenka, the reigning Australian Open champion, said at WTA media day on Monday that she has decided to take care of herself and prepare for a hard-court summer.
She said, “Especially with all the struggles I've been going through in the last few months, I feel I need to take care of my health. It's too much scheduling and I've decided to take care of my health.”
For the first time since Barcelona in 1992, the Olympic tennis tournament will be held on clay. Players will move from grass at Wimbledon to clay at Roland Garros for the Olympics before returning to North American hard courts. The hard court summer will include consecutive WTA 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati, followed by the year's last Grand Slam, the US Open, where Sabalenka reached the final last year.
“I like to take a little rest to make sure I am ready for hard court, physically and health-wise. And I will prepare well before going into the hard court season. I think it is safer and better for my body,” Sabalenka said.
Sabalenka is the second seed in Berlin this week. She is playing in her first tournament since Roland Garros, where she suffered a stomach ailment after losing in the quarterfinals to Mira Andreeva.
“It was the worst experience of my life on court. I have played while I was sick, I have played with injuries, but when you have a stomachache and you have no energy to play and you are in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, it is a really horrible experience. But that is what happens. I think my body was just asking for some rest. I managed to take a few days off to rest and recover after the difficult months,” she said.
Jabeur has also announced that she will miss the Olympics as a precautionary measure against injury.
“After consulting with my medical team about participating in the Olympics in Paris, we have decided that the quick change of surface and the need for body adaptation would put my knee at risk and jeopardise the rest of my season. Unfortunately, I will not be able to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics. I always love representing my country in any competition. However, I must listen to my body and follow the advice of my medical team,” Jabeur posted on social media on Monday.
Meanwhile, former world number ones Naomi Osaka and Caroline Wozniacki are set to return to Roland Garros for the Paris 2024 Olympics.