Aryna Sabalenka will skip Paris Olympics to rest and prepare for hard court season

Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka ruled herself out of the Paris Olympics on Monday.

The Belarusian world number 3 said she preferred to rest and prepare for the hard court season.

“I prefer to rest a little to make sure I am physically and healthy ready for hard courts,” Sabalenka said in Berlin. “I will have a good preparation before embarking on the hard court season. I feel like it’s safer and better for my body.

Players will have to return to clay at Roland Garros for the Olympic tournament following Wimbledon, then move on to hard courts in North America.

“It’s too much for the schedule and I’ve made the decision to take care of my health,” she said.

She is in Berlin during a warm-up for Wimbledon.

This is her first tournament since her quarterfinal loss to Mirra Andreeva at Roland Garros, where she had a stomach problem.