De Minaur, Norrie join string of withdrawals from Olympic singles events
Australia’s De Minaur will play doubles, but has not recovered enough from the hip injury he suffered at Wimbledon in time to play singles in Paris
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It began with Jannik Sinner pulling out of the Olympics after picking up tonsilitis, and the withdrawals have just kept coming, with Alex de Minaur the latest to scrub his name from the singles draw at Roland-Garros.
The Australian, who made the quarters at the French Open last month, will still play doubles, but decided on Sunday that the hip injury that he suffered at Wimbledon has not quite fully recover for the rigours of singles on clay.
Nadal bucks the trend
Cam Norrie (left arm injury) also pulled out on Sunday, joining a long list of players to decide they were not ready for the singles, for a variety of reasons.
Andy Murray pulled out before the draw, his back injury not improved enough to play singles. The Scot will play the last event of his stellar career, partnering Dan Evans in doubles.
Aryna Sabalenka, Ons Jabeur and Madison Keys were among those to pull out before the draw due to injury, as was former Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova.
Elina Rybakina cited bronchitis for her withdrawal, while Holger Rune, Yulia Putintseva, Hubert Hurkacz all failed to make the starting line.
Rafael Nadal, however, will play in the singles event. The Spaniard had been a doubtful starter, with rumours suggesting he would focus on doubles after sporting a strapping on his right thigh, but he was due to face Marton Fucsovics in the first round on Sunday, with the winner due to face Novak Djokovic in round two.
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