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Agence France-Presse

Serena Williams said on Sunday that she will not compete at the Tokyo Olympics next month, joining fellow grand slam legend Rafael Nadal in withdrawing from the Games.
The 39-year-old American revealed her decision at her pre-Wimbledon press conference.
“I’m actually not on the Olympic list, so … Not that I’m aware of. If so, then I shouldn’t be on it,” she said.
She refused to divulge the reasons for her decision.
However, a ban on foreign fans as well as family members at the Olympics would have meant Williams being separated from her daughter Alexis Olympia.

The Olympics have already been delayed by a year and organisers have been forced to introduce strict measures to fight Covid-19.
“There’s a lot of reasons that I made my Olympic decision,” she said.
“I don’t feel like going into them today. Maybe another day. Sorry.”
Tokyo 2020: Naomi Osaka withdraws from Wimbledon, plans to compete in Olympics; Nadal skips both
Williams is the joint most successful Olympian in tennis history in terms of gold medals alongside sister Venus having won one gold medal each in singles and three in doubles.
Venus edges the medal count slightly as she also won a silver in mixed doubles in 2016 in Rio.
Serena, who is bidding to equal Margaret Court’s record of 24 grand slam singles titles at Wimbledon, added she had not really thought about what it would mean to miss the Games.

She won the 2012 Olympic singles title in London on the same Centre Court where she has won seven Wimbledon singles titles.
She also won doubles gold with sister Venus in Sydney (2000), Beijing (2008) and London.
“I have not thought about it [missing the Games],” said Williams, who plays world number 100 Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus in the first round at Wimbledon.
Tokyo 2020: Roger Federer calls for end to Olympic uncertainty amid growing opposition to Games
“In the past it’s been a wonderful place for me. I really haven’t thought about it, so I’m going to keep not thinking about it.”
Nadal announced earlier this month he would be missing Wimbledon and the Olympics so as to look after his body and prolong his career.

His great rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have yet to decide whether they will go to Tokyo.
Federer, who like Serena is 39, said on Saturday it will depend on how he fares at Wimbledon.
Two-time defending Olympic singles champion Andy Murray will be going, fitness permitting, as he has been selected in the Team GB squad.
Austrian Dominic Thiem will be another absentee.
The 27-year-old 2020 US Open champion announced his decision on the same day as Nadal and just before he withdrew from Wimbledon due to a wrist injury.


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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Tokyo 2020: Serena Williams joins Nadal in missing Olympics

Serena Williams makes the announcement at Wimbledon that she will not be competing at the Tokyo Games. Photo: AP

FILE - Serena Williams plays a return to Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina during their fourth round match on day 8 of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, in this Sunday, June 6, 2021, file photo. Serena Williams is expected to compete in the Wimbledon tennis tournament that begins on Monday, June 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)

Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - June 27, 2021 Serena Williams of the U.S. reacts during a practice session as she wears a t-shirt displaying an image of herself playing tennis when she was young Pool via REUTERS/David Gray TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

(FILES) In this file photo taken on August 13, 2016 Spain's Rafael Nadal returns the ball to Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro during their men's singles semi-final tennis match at the Olympic Tennis Centre of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. - Rafael Nadal has announced, June 17, he will not be playing at Wimbledon or the Olympic Games this year. (Photo by Luis Acosta / AFP) / XGTY

17 celebrities supporting Naomi Osaka: Serena Williams and NBA’s Stephen Curry lead names speaking out after French Open withdrawal

Celebrities such as Padma Lakshmi, Olivia Munn, anaa Lathan and Roxane Gay stepped out in support of Naomi Osaka. Photos: @padmalakshmi; @oliviamunn; @naomiosaka; @sanaalathan; @roxanegay74/Instagram

Naomi Osaka of Japan in the match against Jessica Pegula of the United States at Foro Italico on May 12, 2021 in Rome, Italy. Photo: Getty Images/TNS

Serena Williams of the US congratulates Japan’s Naomi Osaka on her win in their women’s singles semi-final match on day eleven of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on February 18, 2021. Photo: AFP

Actress Olivia Munn attends The Lego Ninjago Movie photo op at Comic-Con International in San Diego in July 2017. Photo: Invision/AP

Japan’s Naomi Osaka during her second road match against Jessica Pegula of the US in the Italian Open on May 12, 2021. Photo: Reuters

The new Serena Williams? How Japan’s Naomi Osaka became the world’s highest-earning female athlete

A transfer of power? Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams of the US meet at the net after their 2018 US Open women’s singles final match. Photo: AFP

epa07953900 Naomi Osaka of Japan leaves the court after defeating Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic in their group match at the WTA Finals 2019 tennis tournament in Shenzhen, China, 27 October 2019. EPA-EFE/ALEX PLAVEVSKI

TOPSHOT - US Open Womens Single champion Naomi Osaka of Japan (L) with Serena Williams of the US during their Women's Singles Finals match at the 2018 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on September 8, 2018. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)

epa07900782 Naomi Osaka of Japan celebrates with the trophy after winning her women's singles final against Ashleigh Barty of Australia at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, China, 06 October 2019. EPA-EFE/WU HONG

FILE - In this Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020, file photo, Japan's Naomi Osaka reacts after defeating China's Zheng Saisai in their second round singles match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia. Osaka has been a Grand Slam champion and No. 1 in the WTA rankings and now she's No. 1 on another list: top-earning female athlete, according to a story posted on Forbes.com on Friday, May 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill, File)

Royalty-free stock photo ID: 1049532536 - INDIAN WELLS, CA - MAR 05-18: Naomi Osaka playing the title match at the BNP PARIBAS OPEN Tennis Tournament in Indian Wells, CA on March 18, 2018

epa08149103 Naomi Osaka of Japan in action against Saisai Zheng of China during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 22 January 2020. EPA-EFE/DAVE HUNT AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY

epa07682975 A handout photo made available by the AELTC shows Naomi Osaka of Japan addressing to media during his pre-Championships press conference in the Main Interview Room during the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 29 June 2019. EPA-EFE/AELTC/Florian Eisele EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO COMMERCIAL SALES

=== PHOTO CAPTURED ONLINE === Naomi Osaka Photo: Instagram

Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 1, 2019 Japan's Naomi Osaka reacts during her first round match against Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva REUTERS/Tony O'Brien

Will Naomi Osaka play in Tokyo 2020 Olympics? Berlin snub puts Wimbledon and Summer Games in doubt

Japan’s Naomi Osaka in her one and only match at the 2021 French Open. Photo: Reuters

Sport

Tennis

The grand slam great says she will not be competing at the Games but refuses to divulge the reasons for her decision
‘I’m actually not on the Olympic list, so … Not that I’m aware of,’ says the 23-time grand slam winner


The American grand slam legend says she will not be competing at the Tokyo Games but refuses to divulge the reasons for her decision.


Serena Williams

Tokyo 2020: Serena Williams joins Nadal in missing Olympics

The grand slam great says she will not be competing at the Games but refuses to divulge the reasons for her decision ‘I’m actually not on the Olympic list, so … Not that I’m aware of,’ says the 23-time grand slam winner

The grand slam great says she will not be competing at the Games but refuses to divulge the reasons for her decision

‘I’m actually not on the Olympic list, so … Not that I’m aware of,’ says the 23-time grand slam winner