Alex de Minaur 'shattered' after COVID-19 test forces Olympics withdrawal
Alex de Minaur, Australia's top male tennis player, will not participate in the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for COVID-19.
He tested positive for the virus in Spain before he was set to leave for Tokyo.
"We have been advised that Alex de Minaur has had a positive test, at his mandatory 96-hour, and 72-hour pre-departure tests," said Ian Chesterman, the chef de mission for the Australian Olympic team.
"As a consequence, sadly, Alex will be unable to join the Australian team here in Tokyo. We're very disappointed for Alex, he's said that he's shattered (at) not being able to come."
The 22-year-old de Minaur, who is ranked No. 17 in the world, was scheduled to play both singles and doubles in Tokyo. Most recently, he was eliminated in the first round of Wimbledon by American Sebastian Korda.
de Minaur is the latest high-profile player to pull out of the Olympic tennis competition. His fellow Australian, Nick Kyrgios, said last week he won't play, partly because fans won't be able to attend amid growing virus concerns in Japan.
Former Olympic medalists Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Angelique Kerber also are not traveling to Tokyo.
--Field Level Media
