Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka pulls out of Rio Olympics

Defending champion Andy Murray’s chances of retaining his Olympic crown have been boosted after two-time grand slam victor Stan Wawrinka became the latest top-10 ranked player to withdraw.

Losing the top two men’s players is a huge disappointment to Switzerland and the national side will now have no male participating in the singles competition.

A statement issued by Wawrinka’s management company said he “felt increasing pain” during the Rogers Cup in Toronto last week and was told by his doctor after an MRI exam to “reduce his physical activity for an undetermined period”.

Wawrinka suffered a shock second-round defeat at Wimbledon this year, losing to Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, who was ranked 165th in the world. He was defeated in the semifinals of the Toronto tournament by Kei Nishikori.

Roger Federer, Tomas Berdych, Milos Raonic and Dominic Thiem have also withdrawn.

“I am very sad because I would like to have witnessed my third Olympic Games”, Wawrinka, who competed in Beijing and London, said in a statement.

Tennis gets underway at the Rio Games on Saturday. But Wawrinka’s singles ascent did not start until a few years later, when in 2014 he took down Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal en route to his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.

Double Grand Slam victor Wawrinka won a gold medal in men’s doubles with Federer at Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.