Paris Olympics: Tokyo bronze medallists miss selection, Erin Routliffe and Lulu Sun named as New Zealand tennis contingent

Tokyo bronze medallists Michael Venus and Marcus Daniell have missed selection for the Paris Olympics, as New Zealand’s tennis contingent was named.

Venus, 36, and Daniell, 34, took third place at the Tokyo Games in 2021 after defeating American pair Austin Krajicek and Tennys Sandgren in the men’s doubles playoff for third.

However, with selection requirements needing at least one player to be ranked inside the world’s top 10, and a partner inside the top 300, Venus and Daniell fall short, given their combined ranking was also not high enough.

And to rub salt into the wounds, Venus has since risen back inside the top 20, courtesy of winning Queen’s and Eastbourne as precursors to this year’s Wimbledon tournament.

New Zealand will be represented in the women’s doubles by Erin Routliffe and Lulu Sun – the latter fresh from her upset victory in the first round of Wimbledon.

Both players will make their Olympic debuts in Paris, with Routliffe currently ranked third in women’s doubles.

The 29-year-old is currently preparing to take the court at Wimbledon alongside Canadian partner Gabriela Dabrowski.

Together, the duo won the US Open women’s doubles in 2023 and reached the semifinals of the Australian Open this year.

Meanwhile, Sun is currently the highest-ranked New Zealander in singles at 123rd in the world and opened Wimbledon by eliminating eighth seed Qinwen Zheng of China.

“We have one of the world’s best in this form of the game in Erin and with the international emergence of Lulu this year, the team has a real chance at success,” said Tennis New Zealand CEO Julie Paterson.

“The medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games by Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus was one of the biggest highlights for tennis in New Zealand and it would be incredible if our women’s team could emulate that success this time around.”

This year’s Olympic tennis tournament begins on July 27.