(Reuters) – World number three Aryna Sabalenka will not play at the Paris Olympics in order to focus on her health and prepare for the hardcourt tournaments, the twice Grand Slam champion said on Monday.
The 26-year-old Belarusian won the Australian Open in January, but was knocked out by 17-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva in the French Open quarter-finals this month.
“Especially with all the struggles I’ve been struggling with the last months, I feel I have to take care of my health,” Sabalenka told reporters at the Berlin Ladies Open.
“It’s too much for the scheduling and I made the decision to take care of my health.
“I prefer to have a little rest to make sure physically and health-wise I’m ready for the hard courts.”
Sabalenka will next be action against Russian Daria Kasatkina in the last 16 in Berlin.
The Paris Olympics run from July 26-Aug. 11.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
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