Much like Great Britain’s Emma Raducanu, Aryna Sabalenka finds it challenging to switch from grass back to clay and then to hard courts, so she’s decided to skip the Olympic Games in order to prioritize her health and focus on the US Open.
Last year’s US Open finalist, Sabalenka, has decided to miss the Summer Olympics in Paris to properly prepare her body and game for the hard-court season. The 2024 Olympics present a unique challenge, being held on the clay courts of Roland Garros, soon after the grass-court season and just before the hard-court tournaments in America.
“I prefer to have a little rest to make sure physically and health-wise I’m ready for the hard courts,” said the world No.3 from Belarus, who would only be able to compete as a neutral athlete, unable to represent her country. “It’s too much for the scheduling and I made the decision to take care of my health.”
The 26-year-old Sabalenka defended her Australian Open title in January but was defeated by Russian rising star Mirra Andreeva in the French Open quarterfinals this month. This loss marked the first time Sabalenka had exited a Grand Slam before the semifinals since Roland Garros 2022. This week, she is competing at the ecotrans Ladies Open, a WTA 500 tournament played on grass in Berlin. (source: BBC)
