Tokyo Olympics: Swiss star Stan Wawrinka becomes latest tennis player to pull out of Games

Olympic gold medallist Stan Wawrinka on Tuesday joined the growing list of players withdrawing from the Tokyo Olympics.

Three-time Grand Slam winner Wawrinka, who won an Olympic title in men’s doubles alongside Roger Federer at Beijing in 2008, has undergone surgery on his left foot. The 36-year-old hasn’t played on the tour since Doha in March.

“He is very disappointed not to be able to play in the Games and represent Switzerland in Tokyo,” said a statement by his management team, according to AFP. “But he is working hard on his recovery and towards his goal of getting back on court as soon as possible.”

Wawrinka joins Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Simona Halep and Dominic Thiem in withdrawing from the Games which start in Tokyo on July 23.

Speaking at her pre-Wimbledon press conference, Williams said, “I’m actually not on the Olympic list not that I’m aware of. If so, then I shouldn’t be on it.” She declined to explain her reasoning, adding: “There’s a lot of reasons that I made my Olympic decision. I don’t feel like going into them today. Maybe another day. Sorry.”

Men’s world number 8 Roger Federer also spoke about his plans for Tokyo Olympics at the pre-Wimbledon press conference.

“Still, my feeling is I would like to go to the Olympics. I would like to play as many tournaments as possible. But I think we decided now let’s just get through Wimbledon, sit down as a team, and then decide where we go from there.

“In previous years, it was definitely easier,” Federer said. “At the moment, things are not as simple as in the past. With age, you have to be more selective. You can’t play it all,” he said.