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The Australian Olympic Committee has confirmed that tennis star Alex de Minaur is out of the team for Tokyo after testing positive to COVID-19.
Chef de mission Ian Chesterman said De Minaur had had his mandatory pre-tests, which had come back positive, so the Sydneysider would not be able to come to Tokyo to join the team.
“We are very disappointed for Alex and he is shattered, not being able to come,” Chesterman said.
“It has been his dream to represent Australia at the Olympic Games since he was a child, but he sent his best wishes for the team.”
De Minaur played at Wimbledon, losing to American Sebastian Korda in the first round.
“We do know that no other tennis players have had physical contact with Alex since he left Wimbledon on July 5, where he tested negative,” Chesterman said.
“All other Australian players have tested negative since. We look forward to welcoming those athletes into our team.”
De Minaur was scheduled to play both singles and doubles in Tokyo. He was due to partner John Peers in the men’s doubles event, and Chesterman said the team was “still very hopeful” that Peers would be part of the team.
The Australian chef de mission said the COVID tests were there for a reason.
“The whole Olympic movement needs to make sure that when players, athletes arrive in Japan, they are in a situation where they are free of COVID-19,” he said.
“We need to protect this bubble and Alex has been caught up in that system, but it does show that the system is working — and while we will miss Alex, he understands the reasons why he cannot be with us.”
The news comes after Nick Kyrgios pulled out of the Olympic team following news that the IOC had banned spectators in Tokyo.
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