Daria Saville, Australia's No.1 women's player, has opted against taking up a last-minute opportunity to play singles at the Olympics to focus all her energies on her doubles medal bid.
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Saville, the world No.77, had been given the opportunity to take up a singles spot as a late alternate into the draw following Elena Rybakina's withdrawal through acute bronchitis.
The 30-year-old Melbourne player had been scheduled for a tough opener against China's Australian Open finalist Qinwen Zheng, the sixth seed, on the first day of competition at Roland Garros on Saturday.
But with her doubles first-round alongside Ellen Perez to be held later on Saturday against the top US pair Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, Saville felt playing a draining singles might impact on the pair's already daunting task against the No.1 seeds.
Perez is ranked in the world's top 10 as a doubles player, with Saville believing they have a potential medal-winning partnership following their performance together in the Billie Jean King Cup win over Mexico in Brisbane in April.
Saville will be replaced in the singles draw by Sara Errani, the 37-year-old former French Open finalist who'll be competing in her fifth Olympic singles event, a total matched among the 2024 participants only by Novak Djokovic.
The veteran Italian made her Games debut in Beijing 2008 and has been in every singles draw since.
Australian Associated Press
