Roger Federer will not be competing at the Olympic Games in Tokyo this month after all.
The world-renowned tennis champ announced the news Tuesday on Twitter, writing that a previous knee injury has left him with no other choice but to withdraw.
Federer, who is ranked No. 8 in the world, has competed in the Olympics four times and has a gold and silver medal to his name. Still, many fans had hoped that the Tokyo Games would be his chance to take home a gold medal finally in the singles category, having won a silver in singles in 2012 and a gold in doubles in 2008.
"I am greatly disappointed, as it has been an honor and highlight of my career each time I have represented Switzerland," Federer said. "I have already begun rehabilitation in the hopes of returning to the tour later this summer. I wish the entire Swiss team the best of luck and I will be rooting hard from afar."
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) July 13, 2021
Back in May, Federer, 39, was still on the fence about competing in the Tokyo Olympics, commenting, "I wish things were better around the world that we wouldn't even have to debate the thought of is it going to happen, am I going to play or not."
Federer's exit from the Tokyo Games is the latest bombshell to hit the tennis world, which has already seen star athletes such as Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal opting out. Amid news that spectators will not be allowed to observe any of the sporting events in person in the capital, the Olympics are shaping up to be unlike any before.
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