Sabalenka, the world number three in tennis, has announced that she will not be competing in the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris this summer. The 26-year-old player has decided to prioritize her health after a physically demanding season. Despite winning the Australian Open earlier this year, Sabalenka suffered an unexpected loss in the French Open quarter-finals to Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva.
This defeat marked the first time since the 2022 French Open that Sabalenka failed to reach the semi-finals of a major tournament. The tennis competition at the Olympics is set to take place on the clay courts at Roland Garros from 27 July to 4 August, just a few weeks before the US Open begins on hard courts. Sabalenka, who was the runner-up at the US Open last year, feels that she needs to rest and focus on her physical well-being ahead of the hard court season.
“I prefer to have a little rest to make sure physically and health-wise I’m ready for the hard courts,” said Sabalenka. “Especially with all the struggles I’ve been facing in recent months, I feel I have to take care of my health.” Athletes from Russia and Belarus who qualify for the Olympics are only allowed to compete as neutrals in Paris, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Despite missing out on competing in Paris, Sabalenka is still focused on her tennis career and will continue her preparations for Wimbledon, one of the most prestigious events in tennis. She is determined to build on her successes from last year and maintain her position as one of