Raducanu rejects Olympic wildcard but Murray in squad

Raducanu is ranked 209th in the world

Emma Raducanu has turned down the chance to play for Great Britain at this summer's Olympics - but two-time singles gold medallist Andy Murray is set to compete in Paris.

Raducanu, 21, is ranked too low to qualify as she continues to come back from surgery on her wrists and ankle last year.

The 2021 US Open champion was offered one of two places by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) that are reserved for former Grand Slam champions.

Raducanu missed the French Open - played on the same clay courts of Roland Garros that will stage the Olympic tennis - to ensure she is fit for the British grass-court season.

The Olympics is sandwiched between the grass courts of Wimbledon and the hard courts of the US Open.

Given her injury issues, Raducanu said she thought it was "not necessary" to put her body through switching surfaces.

"I'm very single minded and I do things my own way and in my own time whenever I want," said Raducanu, who lost to Katie Boulter in the Nottingham Open semi-finals.

"So not in a diva way, [I'm] just prioritising my body and my health because I know if I'm fit, I know if I'm giving my 100%, I know great things are happening and coming.

"I just don't think there's any need to put additional stress on my body or any risk, especially with my history."

Iain Bates, the head of GB's Olympic tennis team, said he was "very comfortable" with Raducanu's decision.

"Everyone's aware of her history and the double wrist surgery from last year," he added. "That [change of surface] places a greater stress on her."

Great Britain's nominations were announced at Queen's Club on Sunday.

The ITF will announce the full entry list for Paris 2024 on 4 July.

Who is going to play for Team GB?

Murray, who won gold in the men's singles at London 2012 and Rio 2016, has been given an ITF place for what could be the final tournament of the 37-year-old's career.

The former world number one said earlier this year he did not expect to "play much past this summer".

Murray and Dan Evans have also been nominated for the men's doubles, with the Scot recently indicating he would only play in Paris if he could play in the team event.

"There is more chance of me winning a medal in the doubles rather than the singles," said Murray.

"I'm not 100% sure. It depends a little bit physically how I'm doing and a bit how the next few weeks ago as well.

"My plan just now is to play but it's not straightforward."

Cameron Norrie, Jack Draper and Dan Evans are set to join Murray in the men's singles.

Katie Boulter is the only British woman to have qualified by ranking for the Games.

Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski will play in the men's doubles by virtue of their world ranking.

Boulter and Heather Watson have been nominated for the women's doubles, as have Harriet Dart and Maia Lumsden.

The Olympic tennis tournament will run from 27 July to 4 August at Roland Garros.

Players will compete across five medal events: women's singles, men's singles, women's doubles, men's doubles and mixed doubles.

'A clear cut decision'

Analysis by BBC tennis correspondent, Russell Fuller

Emma Raducanu can sometimes be very direct. She made no attempt to paint this as an agonising decision - because the decision was very clear cut in her mind.

It has been apparent for a while that her ranking would not be high enough for direct entry, and with uncertainty over whether she would be offered an ITF place, a plan for the summer was drawn up.

Raducanu is clearly wary of regularly changing surface having had so many issues with her body since winning the US Open.

But she will also see the North American hard court season as a time when her comeback could really gather momentum. Those who do play the Olympics will have a maximum of three weeks between the end of the Games and the start of the final Grand Slam of the year.

Some will feel a player should always represent their country if the opportunity arises.

And there is of course a risk in saying no, as even at just 21 years of age there is no guarantee the chance will come around again.