MOSCOW, June 17 Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka said she will not compete in the Olympic Games in Paris.
«I will not compete in the Olympics because of all the WTA rules with mandatory tournaments. You have to sacrifice something. Unfortunately, I will have to sacrifice the Olympics. At this stage of my career, especially after all the difficulties I have experienced in recent months, I need to take care of my health,» Sabalenka told reporters at the tournament in Berlin.
Earlier, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) allowed tennis players from Russia and Belarus to participate in the Olympic Games as neutrals. The Olympics will be held from July 26 to August 11.
Sabalenka is 26 years old and is ranked third in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings. At the Tokyo Olympics, the Belarusian tennis player reached the second round, where she lost to Donna Vekic from Croatia.