At a time when top tennis stars like Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams have decided to give the upcoming Tokyo Olympics a miss, world No.1 Ash Barty was named in Australia’s tennis team for the games. Barty will lead the 11-member team – Australia biggest ever – in their quest to end a 17-year-long wait for an Olympic medal in tennis.
Apart from Barty, the team has the likes of Alex de Minaur, Nick Kyrgios, and veteran Sam Stosur, who will be playing in her fifth Olympics.
“It’s something I’ve always dreamt of and (I’m) obviously super excited to get out there and represent the green and gold,” said Barty, who will become Australia’s first Indigenous tennis Olympian, in a video released by Tennis Australia.
“It’s a massive, united team and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”
Barty, De Minaur, Stosur and men’s world number 43 John Millman will compete in both singles and doubles, while Kyrgios will play only singles.
Rio Olympians Millman and John Peers, a doubles specialist, return for their second Games as Australia look to win their first medal since Alicia Molik took singles bronze at Athens in 2004.
Molik will captain the women’s team which includes Ajla Tomljanovic in the singles, and Storm Sanders and Ellen Perez for doubles.
The Tokyo tennis tournament starts on July 24 at Ariake Tennis Park.
(With Reuters inputs)
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