Andrey Rublev will not play in the Paris Olympics next month
In the 2024 edition of the Olympics, very few Russian and Belarusian players will have the opportunity to participate in the event scheduled to take place in Paris. The two nations have been banned, and all athletes who will be present will perform under the banner of ‘Individual neutral athletes,’ with a jade-green flag that will be flown only for the awards ceremony and an ad hoc anthem with no lyrics.
In the past few months it has been announced almost with certainty that Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev would take part in the five-ring competition. While the Muscovite former world number one had confirmed his willingness to go to France to also play doubles, the 26-year-old’s forfeit has emerged in recent hours.
It was Federation President Shamil Tarpischev who announced the absence of Rublev, Karen Khachanov (yellow also about his reason) and Ljudmila Samsonova (he had already stated this in an interview with some Russian journalists).
Andrey Rublev will not play in the Paris Olympics
After Andrey Rublev’s somewhat surprising withdrawal was announced, his mother Marina Maryenko was asked by Sport24: “He will not go to the Paris Games.
I only recently learned from him that he will not participate in the Olympics. But he did not tell me the reason. He, of course, had a desire to participate in this tournament,” she said. Then she added: “I think it has to do with health.
Andrey just needs to find time to treat his throat (there is talk of a problem with his tonsils, which he had already suffered in Madrid). He is currently undergoing treatment. I understand that after this, the body has weakened a little. These are my assumptions, but I do not know the exact reasons.”
Rublev believes that the current era offers more chances for players.
In the past, in fact, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have imposed their dominance in the Tour’s major tournaments. “It’s difficult with all the Big 3. I didn’t think anyone was more interesting than them.
The one I cheered for the most as a kid was Rafael Nadal because I liked him. Tennis now has improved so much, everyone is playing at crazy speed, with great strength, both forehand and backhand.”