After the Wimbledon tournament, Rybakina, 25, fell ill with a respiratory infection. She attempted to return to training, but her body had not recovered from the illness. The doctors have forbidden her from competing in the Olympic Games or even flying to Paris as a spectator.
“I wish all Kazakh athletes good luck and success in Paris! I will be cheering for all our athletes and believe that they will be able to represent our country at the Olympics with dignity. Alga, Kazakhstan!”
The tennis events run from July 27 to Aug. 4
In mixed doubles, Rybakina and Bublik were replaced by Nadia Podoroska and Maximo Gonzalez, of Argentina, to play Gauff and Taylor Fritz.
Rybakina has been hampered by illnesses for much of the 2024 season. She withdrew from the Indian Wells, Rome, and Eastbourne tournaments for various ailments. In addition, she left the Dubai quarterfinal match and retired four games into her second-round match in Berlin.
Despite her recent bouts with illnesses, Rybakina is regarded as one of the best tennis players in the world. She reached a career-best No. 3 by the World Tennis Association in 2023, making her the first Kazakhstani player to be ranked in the world’s top 10.
Rybakina also became the first player from Kazakhstan to win a title at a major tournament when she won the Wimbledon Championships in 2022. She has won eight titles on the WTA Tour, including two WTA 1000 titles at the 2023 Indian Wells Open and the 2023 Italian Open.
Gauff, the reigning U.S. Open champion, has a solid chance to earn a medal and will join LeBron James as a flag bearer for the U.S. Olympic team at the opening ceremony on July 26. Gauff, 20, is set to make her Olympic debut at the Paris Games and will be the first tennis athlete to carry the U.S. flag as chosen by Team USA athletes.
“I never thought in a million years I would have the honor of carrying the American flag for Team USA in the Opening Ceremony,” Gauff said in a statement. “I could not be more proud to lead my teammates with LeBron as we showcase our dedication and passion on the biggest stage there is—at a moment where we can bring athletes and fans together from around the world.”
Gauff made the American team for the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020. However, she was unable to compete because she tested positive for COVID-19. This summer, Gauff is also partnering with Jessica Pegula in the women’s doubles and with Fritz in the mixed event.
Gauff is a Grand Slam title winner in singles and doubles. She won her first major championship in New York in September 2023 by outlasting Aryna Sabalenka in the singles final of the U.S. Open. Gauff earned her first Grand Slam doubles trophy at the French Open in June with Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic.
However, Swiatek’s mixed doubles partner Hubert Hurkacz was forced to withdraw from the Olympics because of a knee injury he sustained at Wimbledon.