Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, Switzerland’s Roger Federer, Japan’s Naomi Osaka and Australia’s Ash Barty are on the entry checklist for the Tokyo Olympics, which have been introduced by the International Tennis Federation on Thursday.
As the ITF famous, nonetheless: “admission lists are still subject to change.”
Federer stated final weekend that he would wait till Wimbledon ends on July 11 to resolve whether or not he’ll journey to Japan.
Djokovic has made it clear that he needs to chase a Golden Slam, which solely Steffi Graf did in 1988: profitable all 4 main tennis tournaments and an Olympic singles gold medal in the identical yr.
He gained titles on the Australian Open in February and the French Open final month and is ready to play his third spherical match at Wimbledon on Friday.
The Olympics will mark Osaka’s return to competitors when she withdrew from the French Open after the primary spherical to take a psychological well being break.
The Summer Games open on 23 July, and the tennis competitors – performed on onerous courts – begins the following day.
Eligibility is predicated on the rating of 14 June. That day was after the French Open ended. Seven of the highest 10 gamers in each the WTA and ATP rankings are at present on Thursday’s checklist.
For ladies, she is No. 1 Barty, No. 2 Osaka, No. 4 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, No. 5 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, No. 7 Bianca Andreescu of Canada, No. 9 Inga Swietek of Poland and No. 10. Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic.
For males, he’s No. 1 Djokovic, No. 2 Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, No. 6 Alexander Zverev of Germany, No. 7 Andrey Rublev of Russia, No. 8 Federer and No. 9. Matteo Berrettini of Italy.
The ladies who’re lacking: Romania’s Simona Halep and Americans Serena Williams and Sofia Kenin.
Williams stated she wouldn’t go to the Tokyo Games earlier than Wimbledon, after which injured her proper leg throughout her first-round match on middle court docket and stopped enjoying.
Men who weren’t listed: Rafael Nadal and Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain and Dominic Thiem of Austria.
On the checklist: Britain’s two-time defending Olympic champion Andy Murray, who was given a particular exemption as he has essentially the most variety of Olympic and Grand Slam titles whose rankings weren’t excessive sufficient to achieve direct entry.
Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig, who gained the ladies’s singles gold medal on the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, had already stated she wouldn’t be capable to compete in Tokyo as a result of she had surgical procedure on her proper shoulder.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
