In-form Draper and two-time Olympic champ Murray lead British team for Paris
Draper claimed his first ATP Tour title on grass at Stuttgart on Sunday, although conditions will be very different on the clay of Roland-Garros in the French capital.
Raducanu’s low world ranking meant she would have had to negotiate qualifying for the French Open earlier this year, and she opted to skip the event to concentrate on the grass-court swing. As a previous Grand Slam winner, 2021 US Open champion Raducanu was offered a place in Paris by the ITF but chose not to take it.
Britain’s Lawn Tennis Association Olympic team leader Iain Bates told the BBC, “I have had various conversations with Emma over the last couple of weeks and a slightly longer period where it’s very clear how much being part of a British team at an Olympics would mean to her.
“I think she feels this isn’t going to be the right timing for her for this summer. She’s hopefully got many Olympics ahead of her. I’m very comfortable with the decision that she’s made.”
Paris could well be Murray’s last tournament with the Scotsman saying in February, “I don’t plan on playing much past this summer.”
Murray won the Olympic men’s singles title at London 2012 – held at Wimbledon – and retained it at Rio 2016. He will join Chinese Taipei’s Lu Yen-hsun, Venus Williams and Samantha Stosur as the only players to compete in singles at five Olympic Games.