Odense, April 9 (IANS): Denmark tennis star Caroline Wozniacki has suffered an ankle injury which has ruled her out of the upcoming Fed Cup and has put her participation in the Rio Olympics in doubt.
Wozniacki was supposedly in line to be the flag bearer for Denmark in Rio, but being unable to feature in the Fed Cup creates problems with her eligibility criteria, reported the Belfast Telegraph on Saturday.
To play at the Olympics, the WTA states, "a player must be part of the final Fed Cup team at the time of the draw and be present at the tie a minimum of three times in the four-year Olympic cycle. One of those ties must occur in either 2015 or 2016."
The 25-year-old needed to play against Egypt in the Fed Cup to meet that criteria. She is also set to miss the Istanbul Cup tournament.
However, all is not gloomy for Wozniacki as it is understood exceptions for injury are allowed and that is what the Danish Tennis Federation (DTF) hope will happen in Rio.
"It is my personal hope that Caroline Wozniacki still comes to the Olympics and I am confident the ITF (International Tennis Federation) will look at the overall circumstances surrounding the situation that suddenly arose," DTF director Sune Irgens Alenkaer said.