On Friday, Wimbledon runner-up and world number seven Raonic, as well as Romania’s world number five Simona Halep, the 2014 French Open runner-up, said they would not make the trip to Rio.
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Despite the numerous concerns over the Games – from the Zika virus (mosquito-borne illness) to water pollution and political unrest due to Brazil’s economic recession – more than half a million sports fans from around the world are on the road to Rio.
“It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing my withdrawal from participation in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games”, he said on his Facebook page.
Halep, the women’s No. 5, said that she took the decision of withdrawing after talks with her doctor and family.
“I know the Olympics are a very important event and I truly regret these circumstances”.
It is a further blow for organisers of the competition, with the United States’ John Isner and Nick Kyrgios of Australia also not involved due to separate reasons, but Berdych claims that he had to put the well-being of his family first when making the choice.
The only other unexpected announcement came from sixth-ranked Victoria Azarenka, who posted on Twitter just as the Olympic roster was about to be released that she is pregnant and will miss the rest of the season.
Rio Games chief Carlos Nuzman told a media event in Rio over the weekend that top players had “tried to blame Zika, but the media have shown that they are not coming because there’s no prize money”.
In 1999, the International Olympic Committee called him one of the best athletes of the 20th century, and a year later FIFA, football’s international governing body, honored him as player of the century.
Nadal won the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Besides playing the singles, Berdych was expected to team with Radek Stepanek for the doubles at the Olympic tournament, while Pliskova was expected to form a pair with Lucie Safarova. The two-time Grand Slam champion’s name was on the ITF’s list.
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Raonic’s decision to pull out prompted Tennis Canada to say it respected his decision and that it will seek to nominate 43-year-old Daniel Nestor to partner Vasek Pospisil in the men’s doubles.
