BARTY, COCO, MURRAY SET FOR OLYMPIC TENNIS AS FEDERER, SERENA, NADAL WILL MISS TOKYO

The Olympic Games is due to start in just a few days and attention will shift to the Tokyo event, especially in tennis which kicks off from July 24 until August 1 on courts at Ariake Tennis Park.

Andy Murray who won the 2016 gold medal has confirmed his participation at the games. The defending champion who is looking forward to his third Olympic gold medal will be joined by Joe Salisbury and they will be competing in the doubles. But fellow Briton woman Johanna Konta has withdrawn from the summer games a bout of coronavirus.

Also joined in the list of withdrawers from the Olympic Games is women’s champion Monica Puig after undergoing shoulder surgery in June. Monica secured Puerto Rico’s first Olympic gold medal in 2016 when she surprised many with her sterling performance at the games.

Canada’s duo of Denis Shapovalov and Bianca Andreescu has withdrawn due to Covid-19 concerns, Andreescu the world No.5 in a statement, defended her decision as the right step for herself.

“I have been dreaming of representing Canada at the Olympics since I was a little girl, but with all challenges we are facing as it relates to the pandemic, I know that deep in my heart, this is the right decision to make for myself.”

Other top profile tennis stars that will not compete at the summer games are Roger Federer, Raphael Nadal and Serena Williams. The 20-time Grand Slam champion, Federer wants to attend to his troublesome knee, while the Spaniard said, he needed to take time off to attend to his body having suffered back problem earlier this year. Nadal is expected to return to action at the Washington Open at the end of July.

For Serena who was more interested in her concentration at the Wimbledon tennis tournament held earlier this month before taking a decision on the Olympic Games. Unfortunately suffered an injury in the first round of the tournament and the four time Olympic gold medallist will not be at the Tokyo games.

But Wimbledon women’s champion Ashleigh Barty who is still celebrating an aura of Wimbledon will compete in Tokyo, home girl Naomi Osaka will make a return to action having withdrawn from the French Open.

Other top women tennis stars that will be at the Tokyo games are Victoria Azarenka, Ayna Sabalenka, Iga Swaitek and USA team will be led by 17 year-old Coco Gauff.