Martin Klizan, the recent winner of the ATP 500 tournament in Hamburg, has made the decision to not come to Rio. As the main reason he stated Zika fears, as many other tennis players before him.
“I am not exactly sure what are the medical consequences of Zika. Repellents should supposedly protect you, and we are supposed to wear long sleeved t-shirt, which isn’t ideal. I don’t believe that the situation in Rio will be alright. I am cautious about my health, especially when I am returning from a long break. I don’t plan to get ill now. It just worries me. The conditions in Rio aren’t what we Europeans are used to,” said Klizan in an interview for Czech website, Tennis Arena.
Other than receiving a lot of criticism and even death threats from some “fans”, Klizan was criticized for his withdrawal by Karol Kucera. The former World No. 6. has openly criticized Klizan in a Facebook status, giving him a lecture about representation and other issues.
The World No. 30 Martin Klizan was also supposed to play doubles, receiving an ITF Final Qualification Place to play alongside with Andrej Martin. Martin, who last week reached an Umag final and broke the Top 100, was not long in jeopardy about his Olympic chances. ITF almost immediately granted the Final Qualification Place to him and a doubles specialist Igor Zelenay. The Slovak Tennis Federation also requested a Final Qualification Place in singles for Andrej Martin, who is currently 5th in the waiting list for the Olympic glory.
The other Slovakian player with Olympic doubts is world No.10 Cibulkova. Speaking shortly after her 2-6 0-6 loss to Eugenie Bouchard, Cibulkova has admitted that she is currently struggling with ongoing health problems.
“[Bouchard] played very well, so she won. However I have had health problems since the tournament in Stanford. I was supposed to fly to Rio from here, but I am not fit, so I have to go back to Slovakia, where I will visit my doctor, to find out what’s going on. I hope that I will be alright to play the Olympics, but it doesn’t look too well.”
