Tunisian tennis player Ons Jabeur has withdrawn from the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics. The decision, motivated by worries about potential injury risks, emphasizes the demanding physical obstacles that professional athletes endure as they navigate a busy tournament calendar over a variety of playing surfaces. After finishing her clay court season earlier this month with a quarter-final appearance at the French Open, the world number ten is now transitioning to grass court contests, followed by the hard courts of the US Open shortly after the Olympics.
The quick succession of surface transitions presents a substantial difficulty for athletes. Adapting to the distinct properties of each surface – clay’s slow bounce and heavy friction, grass’s low bounce and speed, and hard court’s medium bounce and pace – necessitates major physical changes. These changes affect movement patterns, footwork, and the tension in various muscle groups, particularly the knees. Jabeur, in collaboration with her medical staff, felt that putting her body to such a sudden change, especially following an already difficult clay court season, would considerably raise the risk of knee injuries.
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. Unfortunately, I will not be able to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Jabeur wrote on social media.
I have always loved representing my country in any competition. However, I must listen to my body and follow my medical team’s advice. Wishing my teammates the best in the games, she added.
While representing Tunisia in the Olympics is extremely important to Jabeur, as proven by her involvement in three previous Games, prioritizing her physical well-being is critical to maintaining performance throughout the season and beyond. Jabeur will be seen playing in the Wimbledon starting on July 1, 2024.
Aryna Sabalenka, the world’s third-ranked player, will skip the Paris Olympics to focus on her health and prepare for the hardcourt competitions. I feel I have to take care of my health, especially with all the struggles I’ve been struggling over the last few months. It’s too much for the scheduling and I decided to care for my health, Sabalenka told reporters at the Berlin Ladies Open.
