Olympic dream is over for Thiem

Olympic dream is over for Thiem

Dominic Thiem has followed Rafael Nadal's lead by deciding to skip next month's Olympic Games, insisting that he needs to focus on the next two Grand Slams.

Thiem, who has struggled for form in 2021, is 25/1 to win Wimbledon and 11/2 to successfully defend his US Open title later in the year.

Having decided that those two events are his priorities, the fifth-ranked Austrian has declined the chance to go for Olympic gold in Tokyo.

The 27-year-old, who had also missed the 2016 Olympics in Rio over health fears, says he will have another chance to represent his country at the 2024 Games in Paris.

The news of Thiem's decision came soon after Rafael Nadal announced that he too would miss the Tokyo Olympics as well as Wimbledon.

Thiem had taken a break earlier this year as he battled against poor form and fitness. He returned for the clay-court campaign but after a promising run to the semi-finals in Madrid, he suffered a second-round exit in Rome and crashed at the first hurdle in Lyon, thumped in straight sets by British underdog Cameron Norrie.

He went into the French Open seeded four but he was toppled in five sets in round one by the 68th-ranked Spaniard Pablo Andujar.

"Taking part in the Olympics and representing my country is a huge honour and that makes this decision even tougher," Thiem said in a social-media post.

"However, 2021 did not start as expected and I don't feel ready to play my best in Tokyo. My goal is to work hard, give my best at Wimbledon and keep training and hopefully defend my US Open title.

"I am young and I hope to be able to play for Austria at the Olympics in Paris 2024."

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