Aryna Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion, and Ons Jabeur, a two-time Wimbledon finalist, have announced their withdrawal from the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris. Both players, ranked in the top 10, cited the challenging transition from Wimbledon’s grass courts to Roland Garros’ clay for the Olympics, followed by the immediate shift to North America’s hard courts as their reason for opting out.
World No. 3 Sabalenka from Belarus expressed her decision to prioritize her health and rest before the hard-court season. “It’s too much for the scheduling and I made the decision to take care of my health,” she stated in Berlin ahead of Wimbledon. “I prefer to have a little rest to make sure physically and health-wise I’m ready for the hard courts.”
Tunisia’s World No. 10 Jabeur shared her disappointment at missing a fourth consecutive Olympics due to concerns about her knee. “We (and my medical team) have decided that the quick change of surface and the body’s adaptation required would put my knee at risk and jeopardize the rest of my season,” Jabeur explained.
Despite their love for representing their countries, both players have chosen to listen to their bodies and medical advice, with Jabeur having competed in the last three Olympics without securing a win.
