Simona Halep will miss Tokyo Olympics due to calf injury

The well-documented Olympic dreams of Simona Halep will have to wait. The Romanian has announced that she will be unable to compete at the Tokyo Olympics this year due to the calf injury that she suffered on the clay this spring.

“Nothing brings me more pride than representing Romania, but sadly the recovery from my calf injury requires more time and I have made the decision to withdraw from the Olympic Games this summer,” she wrote on social media. “After the disappointment of missing the French Open and Wimbledon.”

“Having to skip the Olympics is incredibly tough to digest, but I am determined to come back stronger,” Halep continued. “I will be watching and cheering on the Romanian athletes from home.”

Halep originally injured herself against Angelique Kerber at Rome, and underwent an MRI, which revealed a small tear in her calf.

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Tennis Majors

“After an MRI here in Rome I can confirm that I have small tear high up in the left calf,” she wrote at the time. “I will fly home today and begin recovery in the pool and gym on Monday. I’m staying positive and will do everything I can to speed up my return.”

She has not played since.

Olympics a stated goal

Halep withdrew from the 2016 Rio Games due to Zika concerns, and lost in the first round of the 2012 London Olympics. Immediately after winning her second Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2019, she made it clear that winning a medal for Romania was one of her biggest remaining goals.

“I want to win any medal in the Olympics to fulfil everything I have done in tennis,” she said, at the time. “It is a chance to play for my country and I have always loved to do that. The disappointment from [losing in Fed Cup in 2019] really hurt me so to play well to get a medal, it would be a dream.”