6 Biggest Names Who Have Missed Out on Olympics 2024 Ft. Jannik Sinner

The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris promise some incredible tennis action on the clay court surface of Roland-Garros, as we will get to witness the biggest stars from the ATP and WTA Tour trying their best to earn glory for their country. However, while top players, including Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, and Coco Gauff have already confirmed their participation, a few promising names are sadly missing from the tournament’s roster.

Talking about the absentees, a name that immediately comes to mind is Jannik Sinner, who was forced to drop out at the very last minute. Similarly, ATP players such as Ben Shelton and Hubert Hurkacz as well as WTA players like Aryna Sabalenka, Ons Jabeur, and Marketa Vondrousova will not be participating in the tournament for reasons of their own.

Still, while this list might be disappointing for some fans, we are certain that their favorite stars will return to action very soon.

Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner has had a hectic, but extremely impressive 2024 season. Although his run at Wimbledon 2024 got cut shorter than he anticipated it to be, it allowed him to take some much-needed time off.

Sinner didn’t fly to Paris with his fellow Italian tennis players owing to fever. Yet, he was expected to join the Olympic Village later in order to compete for his nation’s first gold medal in the event.

However, two days before the opening ceremony, Sinner took to Instagram and disappointed the tennis community by pulling out of the Summer Games due to tonsillitis.

Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka shocked the tennis community when she pulled out of Wimbledon 2024 at the last moment. Apart from skipping The Championships, the Belarusian also revealed that she would skip the Paris Games to prioritize her health.

Although she reasoned that the schedule didn’t seem to favor her at her current fitness level, Sabalenka insisted that she would prefer to take some rest in order to be in top shape for the hard courts.

“It’s too much for the scheduling and I made the decision to take care of my health,” Sabalenka said in June.

Ben Shelton

Ben Shelton is among the numerous eligible American tennis stars to choose not to represent the red, white, and blue. He joins the likes of Frances Tiafoe, Sebastian Kordan, and Madison Keys. However, Shelton’s reason to skip the prestigious event has nothing to do with injury or fitness level.

The 21-year-old has been extremely clear about his intention of prioritizing the US Open 2024. Hence, with the Olympics complicating the schedule, Shelton decided it would be best for him to drop out of the quadrennial event.

“I’ve thought about it a lot. At the moment I can say that I’m quite inclined not to go this year, in case I qualify. I think they fit into the tennis schedule in a complicated way,” Shelton said earlier in the year.

However, in an interview with Tennis365, the Georgia native said he would love the opportunity to be the hometown hero during the 2028 Olympic Games that are to be held in Los Angeles.

“But, you know, 100% I would want to play in LA in 2028 which is on the same side of the world as the US Open and on the same surface but I guess we’ll just see. Who knows what happens this summer.”

Ons Jabeur

Similar to Aryna Sabalenka, Ons Jabeur also announced her absence from the Olympics before Wimbledon 2024. Jabeur, who has been dealing with a knee injury, believed that the constant switching of the surface would put her at risk.

Hence, she chose to follow her medical team’s advice, and revealed her decision with a post on X, saying,

“After consulting with my medical team regarding attending the Olympics in Paris, we have decided that the quick change of surface and the body’s adaptation required would put my knee at risk and jeopardize the rest of my season.”

The Tunisian had the golden opportunity of snapping her win-less record at the Olympics had she participated in the event.

Marketa Vondrousova

Marketa Vondousova won’t be traveling to Paris to defend her silver Olympic medal. The Czech star’s decision to withdraw from the competition comes after an unfortunate hand injury that she suffered during her first-round loss at Wimbledon 2024.

“I am very sorry, but due to health reasons I will not be participating in this year’s Olympic Games in Paris. I hoped until the last moment that I could go at least in doubles, but problems with my hand won’t allow me on the court,” Vondousova wrote in her Instagram caption.

Hubert Hurkacz

Hubert Hurkacz had to retire during his second-round clash at Wimbledon 2024 after hurting his knee while diving to win a point in the fourth set tie-break. Although the Polish star tried his best to recover in time, Hurkacz eventually announced that he would be missing the event.

Hubi was expected to participate in each of the three events – singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.