The Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic has pulled out of the Rio Olympics citing health concerns, including the Zika virus.
The Canadian, ranked seventh in the world, reached his first grand slam final at the All England Club on Sunday, losing in straight sets to Andy Murray.
He wrote on his Facebook page: “It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing my withdrawal from participation in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
“After much deliberation with my family and coaches, I am making this decision for a variety of health concerns, including the uncertainty around the Zika virus.
“This was a difficult, personal choice and I do not wish for it to impact the decision of any other athlete heading to the Games. I would like to thank Tennis Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee for their ongoing support.
“I am very proud to have competed for Canada at the London 2012 Summer Olympics, and on the world stage at several Davis Cup events. I look forward to cheering on Team Canada this summer.”
Raonic joins a number of leading male players in choosing not to go to the Olympics – including Tomas Berdych, who announced his withdrawal on Saturday.
The Czech said in a statement: “It was a hard decision for me to take after a long and painstaking discussion with my dearest. It’s purely my personal decision … it is because of the Zika virus spread in the country of the Olympics.
“As I have founded a family recently, to limit health risks towards my nearest is the utmost priority. I apologize to all of who are disappointed by my decision. I do believe that if you take a deeper account of my reasons you will understand that I have done it out of the responsibility for my family.”
