Iga Swiatek IN, Emma Raducanu OUT – the WTA stars competing at Paris 2024 and the ones who have opted out

Reigning world No 1 Iga Swiatek has made it clear she has “no problem going back to clay” to compete at the 2024 Olympics, but which WTA stars have decided to skip the Paris Games?

The main draw for the tennis at this year’s Olympics will get underway July 27 on the clay at Roland Garros, just under two weeks after the top players will have completed their grass-court campaign at Wimbledon.

For some, the change in surface is a big concern and they have decided not to risk it, but for Swiatek it is not a big deal and the five-time Grand Slam winner has confirmed she will represent Poland at the Olympics.

“I think it would be a bigger challenge if there was grass first, clay in the middle, and grass again,” she said. “Going back to the clay won’t be a problem for me.

“When I come back to it after a whole year, two days are enough and I feel great on clay. This year I already played the Billie Jean King Cup on hard, I went straight to clay in Stuttgart and I was able to play a very good tournament, so going to clay a second time will not be a problem.”

Who Are In?

Besides Swiatek, Magda Linette and Magdalena Fręch are set to make up the Poland team in the singles.

The American charge is set to be spearheaded by world No 2 Coco Gauff with Jessica Pegula (5), Danielle Collins (11) and Madison Keys (12) making up the rest of the singles team.

2022 Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina has not officially been confirmed, but she is set to represent Kazakhstan while defending Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova will lead the Czech Republic team, which is set to feature Barbora Krejcikova, Linda Noskova and Katerina Siniakova.

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French Open runner-up Jasmine Paolini, Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Lucia Bronzetti will represent Italy and China will have Zheng Qinwen, Yuan Yue, Wang Xinyu and Zhu Lin in their squad.

Ukraine will also have a four-player team with Marta Kostyuk, Elina Svitolina, Dayana Yastremska and Anhelina Kalinina set to crack the nod.

Canada, meanwhile, is set to call on former US Open winner Bianca Andreescu (who is set to use her protected ranking to enter) and Leylah Fernandez.

Former world No 1s Naomi Osaka and Caroline Wozniacki will also feature as they have used the Grand Slam champion wildcards with the former representing Japan while Wozniacki will be part of Denmark’s squad.

Great Britain will have only one player in the singles through Katie Boulter.

Who Are Out?

Two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka – who would have played under a neutral flag – has become the biggest star to withdraw from the 2024 Olympics as she decided to focus on her health.

“Especially with all the struggles I’ve been struggling with the last months, I feel I have to take care of my health,” the world No 3 said. “It’s too much for the scheduling and I made the decision to take care of my health.”

Three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur then followed suit as she used the surface change as the main reason for her withdrawal.

“After consulting with my medical team regarding attending the Olympics in Paris, we have decided that the quick change of surface and the body’s adaptation required would put my knee at risk and jeopardise the rest of my season,” the Tunisian wrote on X.

“I have always loved representing my country in any competition, however I must listen to my body and follow my medical team’s advice.”

2021 US Open winner Emma Raducanu was offered one of the Grand Slam wildcard slots, but she declined as she also wanted to focus on her health.

“The Olympics is just not the right time for me this year,” she said.

“I really hope to be a part of the next one, but I guess with the change in surface, it’s just not worth the risk for me at this point having recovered from the surgeries last year.”

Several Russian players – who were set to compete as individuals as their country remains banned from the Olympics – have also made themselves unavailable for the Games. Those include Daria Kasatkina Liudmila Samsonova, Anna Kalinskaya, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Anastasia Potapova.

Belgium’s top-ranked player Elise Mertens will also not feature.