The Tokyo 2020 Olympics tennis competition on Tuesday lost two more start players. Simona Halep and Stan Wawrinka have opted out of the rescheduled Games, slated to start on July 23.
Simona and Wawrinka are also not participating in the Wimbledon Championships.
Simona feared that she won’t be able to fully recover from a calf injury to be fit for the Olympics competition.
“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,” Halep tweeted on Monday.
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“After the disappointment of missing the French Open and Wimbledon having to skip the Olympics is incredibly tough to digest, but I am determined to come back stronger,” she added.
Simona was also compelled to skipp the 2016 Rio Olympics, then due to concerns over the Zika virus.
Three-time Grand Slam title winner Wawrinka, who won an Olympic title in men’s doubles alongside Roger Federer at Beijing in 2008, will be undergoing surgery on his left foot.
“He (Wawrinka) is very disappointed not to be able to play in the Games and represent Switzerland in Tokyo,” said a statement by his management team.
“But he is working hard on his recovery and towards his goal of getting back on court as soon as possible.”
The 36-year-old hasn’t played on the tour since Doha in March.
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