Raonic who reached the finals of the recently concluded 2016 Wimbledon Championships is the highest ranked tennis star to withdraw from the summer games.
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Their decision has already been officially announced to the Czech Olympic Committee and the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
However, the 25-year-old has now stated he will not participate in the men’s singles competition, which will feature 64 players, as well as the doubles events.
Halep, the 2014 French Open runner-up, said she too was concerned over the Zika virus and did not want to damage her hopes of having a family when she retires from playing.
Halep, who is now ranked fifth in the world, reached the final of the 2014 French Open, losing to eventual victor Maria Sharapova.
The World Health Organization said in June that there was a “very low risk” that the Zika virus would spread to other parts of the world from Brazil.
“This was a hard, personal choice and I do not wish for it to impact the decision of any other athlete heading to the games”.
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.
Raonic – beaten by Andy Murray in his first grand slam final – is the first top-10 male tennis player to rule himself out of Rio, as the sport makes its eighth Olympic appearance since returning to the schedule in 1988. “Family is much too important for me and I can’t risk not being able to have one of my own after my career in tennis is over”.
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 ace was one of two eagles on the day for Vegas, who will compete for Venezuela at the Rio Olympics next month, to go with eight birdies and just one bogey. There will be 64 players in the singles draws and 32 in the doubles.
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Veteran Daniel Nestor is now expected to replace Raonic as Vasek Pospisil’s doubles partner in Rio.
