Australia’s Alex de Minaur ruled out of Tokyo Olympics due to Covid

Alex de Minaur loves nothing more than competing for Australia’s green and gold, but the 22-year-old will not have the chance to do that at this year’s Tokyo Olympics, thanks to a positive Covid-19 test result.

De Minaur, the current world No 17 and the top-ranked Australian on the men’s side, last played at Wimbledon where he lost in the first-round to Sebastian Korda.

De Minaur is one of several players that have recently been ruled out of the Olympics due to Covid. Top-ranked Brits Johanna Konta and Dan Evans each confirmed positive tests this week, saying that they would not be able to play the Tokyo Games as a result.

Read also

Tokyo Olympics: Which players have opted out? (and why)

Tennis Majors

“We’re really disappointed for Alex,” said Ian Chesterman, vice-president of the Australian Olympic Committee. “He said that he’s shattered, not being able to come – it’s been a dream since he was a child to represent Australia at the Olympic Games.”

Chesterman said that De Minaur had a positive test in his 96 and 72-hour pre-departure tests for the Tokyo Games.

The Tokyo Olympics have been hit by a spate of late withdrawals. De Minaur is the 11th top-25 ATP player that will miss the Olympics. On the women’s side six top-25 players will not participate. Tennis at the Tokyo Olympics begins on July 24.