Australian chef de mission Anna Meares has confirmed Alex de Minaur will arrive in the athletes village this week, but stopped short of saying he would play in Paris.
The 25-year-old was forced to pull out of his quarter-final showdown with Novak Djokovic earlier this month, leading to concerns over his availability for the Olympics.
However, in a positive turn of events, Meares fronted the media on Tuesday and revealed that Australia’s best male tennis player will come into camp this week.
“It’s really great news – we’re actually expecting Alex to arrive in the village ahead of the official draw,” she said.
“We know that he’s been working with his rehab team quite extensively since the conclusion of Wimbledon.
“He’s hungry to be here, he wants to be a part of this team and we will offer as much support as we can in that process.”
De Minaur is a legitimate gold medal hope if he is fit to play in Paris, but there will be lingering question marks over his fitness until he steps on court.
And while Australia will be desperate for him to compete, Meares reiterated the importance of player welfare and will give de Minaur every chance to recover, stopping short of assuring the world No.6 will be in action.
“He’s coming, but we will wait to see how that process goes – he still has time,” she said.
“You’ve got to understand that injury can be a really stressful thing for an athlete and the more you rush it, the more problem you can potentially cause.
“We are leaving it in the hands of Alex and his rehabilitation team, where he knows he has that trust in confidence … it will be a decision purely by them.”
