Dominika Cibulkova forced to pull out of the Olympics through injury
Tuesday 2 August 2016 08:58, UK
Dominika Cibulkova has been forced to pull out of the Rio Olympics with a left calf injury just four days before the Games get underway.
The Slovakian world No 11 has been told to rest for between seven and 10 days after picking up the knock in the Rogers Cup in Montreal last week where she lost in the second round to Eugenie Bouchard.
Cibulkova, 27, is the latest high-profile player to withdraw from the Games which get underway on Friday, with Simona Halep, Victoria Azarenka, who is pregnant, Belinda Bencic and Karolina Pliskova also all missing.
Maria Sharapova, who won the silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics, is also missing as she serves a two-year doping ban.
The Slovakian's spot in the draw will be taken by world No 94 Anett Kontaveit.
Elsewhere, Australian sisters Arina and Anastasia Rodionova have been handed a late Olympic call-up for the women's doubles on Monday.
Anastasia, 34, will be competing at her second Games while Arina, 26, will be making her Olympic debut and the pair will join Samantha Stosur and Daria Gavrilova who are also representing Australia in the doubles.
It was not immediately confirmed who had pulled out of the draw but Cibulkova had also been due to compete in the doubles with Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.
"Today we were notified that there was a withdrawal from the women's doubles and, as first reserves, Anastasia and Arina Rodionova have now received a place," Australian team chief Kitty Chiller said.
"The girls will be our ninth set of siblings in the Australian Olympic team."
