Thiem withdraws from Olympics

Following Rafa Nadal’s withdrawal from the Olympic Games in Tokyo earlier this week, Dominic Thiem has announced that he will also not be participating when the Games get underway on July 23.

My goal is to work hard the coming weeks, give my best at Wimbledon and keep training and hopefully defend my US Open title. Dominic Thiem

His season so far has been erratic after he won his first major title at the US Open last year and currently holds a 9-8 win-loss record as Wimbledon approaches. His best results so far this year were the last 16 of the Australian Open and the semi-finals of the Madrid Open.

“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,” the 27-year-old Austrian wrote on Twitter.

“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.

“My goal is to work hard the coming weeks, give my best at Wimbledon and keep training and hopefully defend my US Open title.”

The world No.5, who also missed the 2016 Olympics, says he hopes to be able to play at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris where the tennis tournament will be held at the same venue as the French Open, namely Roland Garros.

This year the Olympic tennis event, which was last won by Andy Murray, will take place between July 24th and August 1st.