"Holger Rune and Jannik Sinner are not in the same league as Carlos Alcaraz" - Fans react to Dane and Italian's Paris Olympics withdrawals

Holger Rune and Jannik Sinner have both announced their withdrawal from the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, their respective withdrawals from the prestigious Games have not gone down well with several fans.

Both players confirmed their absence in Paris on Wednesday, July 24, with Sinner's confirmation coming first. The Italian stated that doctors have advised him to steer clear of the Olympics following a tonsillitis diagnosis. Hours later, Rune cited a niggling wrist issue as the reason behind his withdrawal.

Some fans on X (formerly Twitter) wasted no time in voicing their opinions on the withdrawals of Jannik Sinner and Holger Rune. One set of them compared the pair's respective situations to those of their rivals, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. 37-year-old Djokovic reached the final of the Wimbledon Championships weeks after undergoing knee surgery. Meanwhile, Alcaraz himself has made back-to-back title-winning runs at both the French Open and Wimbledon.

"It is not for everyone to play RG and Wimbledon until the last match and then not be afraid to compete in singles and doubles for country in the Olympics. Sinner and Rune are not in the same league as Carlos," wrote a fan.

"Then you wonder why Novak is still the greatest tennis player of all time. At his age, not 100% fit, yet he still loves the competition. I’m sure he’d be looking forward to playing against Carlos again at the Olympic finals. That’s why Carlos respects him so much," another fan commented.

Another set of fans joked that Rune and Sinner withdrew because of Alcaraz's rich vein of form. Some of these fans also suggested that with the Dane and the Italian gone, the Spaniard is most likely to run away with the gold medal in singles.

"Everyone is afraid of Carlitos," one fan wrote.

"Rune and Sinner!! they're so afraid of Alcaraz," another fan chimed in.

"Lol. Carlos just defeated half the field even before the start of the tournament," commented another fan.

"Him and Jannik Sinner both withdraw! Damn, looks like an easy gold for Alcaraz," another fan weighed in.

Both Holger Rune and Jannik Sinner vowed to support their respective nations over the course of Paris Olympics 2024

Jannik Sinner (L) and Holger Rune (R) (Source: Getty)

Rune and Sinner both shared elaborate social media posts to confirm their respective withdrawals from the Games. The Dane apologized to his fans for the decision but laid bare the difficulties he has been facing with his wrist across the clay and grasscourt swings. The 21-year-old went on to express his support for the Danish contingent spanning all the Olympic disciplines.

"I will follow the Olympics from home and cheer on all the Danish athletes and I hope and believe that we can bring home many medals from Paris. Come on Denmark," read part of Rune's withdrawal announcement.

Hours earlier, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner had revealed his own disappointment at having to withdraw before wishing luck to his compatriots at the Games.

"Missing the Games is a huge disappointment as it was one of my main goals for this season. I couldn't wait to have the honor of representing my country in this very important event. Good luck to all the Italian athletes who I will support from home," went part of Sinner's announcement.

The tennis tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics is set to commence on Saturday, July 27, with the draws slated to be announced on Thursday, July 25.