A nine-strong contingent of Aussies will hit the clay courts of Roland-Garros at Paris 2024 next month.
Having been ruled out of the Tokyo Games at the 11th hour with COVID-19, Alex de Minaur and Ajla Tomljanovic will lead the Australian charge, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) confirmed on Wednesday.
They’re among the six men and three women selected to pull on the green and gold.
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De Minaur, Alexei Popyrin, Chris O’Connell and Rinky Hijikata will compete in the men’s singles, while Tomljanovic will be the lone representative in the women’s singles draw.
Matt Ebden and John Peers will compete in the men’s doubles, while Daria Saville and Ellen Perez will team up in the women’s doubles.
De Minaur said he’d had his sights set firmly on Paris after missing Tokyo.
“I have always wanted to be an Olympian and I am just so excited to be able to represent the green and gold in Paris,” he said.
The 25-year-old said he was looking forward to “immersing” himself in “what it means to be an Olympian”.
“The opening ceremony, and of course all the other sports, meeting some of my fellow athletes and teammates will be very exciting,” he said.
“Representing Australia is always a pride and an honour … (and) the Olympics is probably one of the highest accolades you can achieve.
“I would do anything I could to try and get a medal. It’s going to be super tough, but I’m going to do my best and compete my heart out.”
De Minaur will also team up with Popyrin in the men’s doubles.
Although ranked No.135, Tomljanovic will get into the Paris draw using a protected ranking, as she has done to gain entry onto the Wimbledon main draw.
Paris will be Tomljanovic’s second Olympics. She was knocked out in the second round in Tokyo by eventual bronze medallist Elina Svitolina.
“When Tokyo ended, I remember thinking to myself I have to work really hard to make it to Paris because being at the Olympics was a dream come true and I wanted to experience it again,” she said.
Having spent the past 18 months battling injuries and illness, the 31-year-old made it to her first WTA-level final in five years at a Wimbledon warm-up event in Birmingham last weekend.
“I am feeling good, I feel like every match I have under my belt brings me closer to the level of play I want to get to,” she said.
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“Physically I am pulling up well after matches, which is the most important thing, so I am very happy with my health, and I think the more time I get on court the better I will be for Paris.”
Australia last won an Olympic tennis medal when Alicia Molik claimed bronze at Athens 2004.
Lleyton Hewitt will be captain of the men’s team, while five-time Olympian Sam Stosur will captain the women’s team.
Paris marks only the second time tennis has been played on clay at the Olympics – Barcelona in 1992 the only other occasion.
Tennis action in Paris commences on July 27.