Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova has been forced to pull out of the Paris Olympics because of a late injury problem.
Vondrousova entered the grass court season with sights set on retaining the Wimbledon title she won last summer, but the Czech star has endured a torrid couple of months.
Her SW19 round-of-16 tie against Anna Kalinskaya in Berlin ended in a retirement before Vondrousova was on the wrong end of a shock defeat against world No. 86 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro at this year’s Championships.
That was compounded by a hand injury Vondrousova picked up – an ailment that has forced her to withdraw from the upcoming Paris Games.
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In a statement released to her Instagram, Vondrousova said: “I am very sorry, but due to health reasons I will not be participating in this year’s Olympic Games in Paris.
“I hoped until the last moment that it could go at least for doubles, but the hand problems do not let me go on the court.
“I’m concentrating now to be okay for the US Open, I will keep my fingers crossed for all Czech representatives in France from a distance. Hopefully soon on the court…”
It’s a bitter blow for the women’s tennis events, not least because Vondrousova impressed at the previous Games, picking up a silver medal in the singles tournament.
Waltzing her way to the final, the then 22-year-old beat the likes of Naomi Osaka, Paula Badosa and Elina Svitolina en route to the gold medal match in Tokyo.
Edged out in the end by eventual winner Belinda Bencic, there had been hopes Vondrousova would go one better at the Stade Roland Garros in the French capital.
It wasn’t to be for the world No.18, who will now have to wait another four years until the 2028 Los Angeles Games to see if she can be crowned Olympic champion.
As for those still due to be involved, world No.1 Iga Swiatek will lead a strong field in Paris, with the Polish ace joined by Coco Gauff (USA), Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan) and recent Wimbledon runner-up Jasmine Paolini (Italian) at the top of the seeding.
Other contenders include Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia), Danielle Collins (USA) and Donna Vekic (Croatia).
Emma Raducanu won’t be representing Team GB at the Games after the 2021 US Open winner rejected the offer of a wildcard entry.