Bencic joins list of Olympic pullouts

Bencic joins list of Olympic pullouts

PARIS - Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic on Wednesday became the latest top 20 player to pull out of the Rio Olympics, just 24 hours after superstar compatriot Roger Federer also announced his withdrawal.

Switzerland's Belinda Bencic returns to Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova during their women's singles single round match on the third day of the 2016 Wimbledon Championships on June 29, 2016

The 19-year-old Bencic, who was forced to withdraw from the second round at Wimbledon with a wrist injury, said she needs to concentrate on getting fully fit for the US Open.

"It is with a heavy heart that I have to withdraw from this year's Olympics," world number 16 Bencic wrote on Twitter.

"Although I have recovered from the wrist injury that I sustained at Wimbledon, I am behind in my training schedule and therefore not completely ready to take part in Rio.

"I will be using the next few weeks to fully prepare with my coach Melanie Molitor for Cincinnati, New Haven and the US Open."

On Tuesday, 17-time Grand Slam title winner Federer pulled out of Rio and called time on his 2016 season as he recovers from a knee injury.

Also out of the Olympics which start on August 5 are Maria Sharapova, who is serving a doping suspension, fellow former world number one Victoria Azarenka who is pregnant, Karolina Pliskova and Simona Halep.

Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic and Czech star Tomas Berdych have also opted out.

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