Tennis news: Dominic Thiem opts out of Tokyo Olympics
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Published 17/06/2021 at 20:36 GMT
“After talking with my team and analysing the situation I have taken the very difficult decision to withdraw from competing in the Tokyo Olympics,” Dominic Thiem announced on Thursday. The news comes on the same day as fomer gold medalist Rafael Nadal announced that he will also not be competing at the summer Games.
Dominic Thiem dépité lors de son 1er tour à Roland-Garros (2021)
Image credit: Getty Images
Dominic Thiem will not compete for Olympic gold in men’s tennis at the Tokyo Games this summer, the player has confirmed.
Thiem, currently ranked fifth in the world, has not enjoyed his best form in 2021.
And, after a run of disappointing results, the Austrian has taken the decision to withdraw his availability for the Tokyo Olympics.
“After talking with my team and analysing the situation I have taken the very difficult decision to withdraw from competing in the Tokyo Olympics,” Thiem said in a statement released on his social media channels.
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.
“These last two weeks I have been training hard - and I’m starting to improve my conditioning and concentration little by little. My goal is to work hard the coming weeks, give my best at Wimbledon and keep training and hopefully defend my US Open title.
“I wish the entire Austrian team travelling to Tokyo all the best. I am young and I hope to be able to play for Austria at the Olympics in Paris 2024.”
The news of Thiem's decision came on the same day that Rafael Nadal announced that he too would miss the Tokyo Olympics as well as the Wimbledon Grand Slam later this month.
Thiem, who won the 2020 US Open, took a break to “recharge” early in the year as he battled against poor form and fitness.
But the 27-year-old was back on the court for the clay season last month and is one of the favourites to win at Wimbledon this summer as he looks to add to his solitary Grand Slam career title.
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