Russia’s male tennis players such as Mikhail Youzhny have no chance of winning medals at the Olympic Games in London in August, former world No. 1 and 2000 Olympic gold medalist Yevgeny Kafelnikov said Wednesday.
Russian tennis, particularly the men's side, has suffered a recent decline. Youznhy, the world No. 34, was the last top-10 player, reaching No. 8 in 2008.
“All of our [male] players know that they don’t have a chance at the Olympics,” said Kafelnikov, who was named vice-president of the Russian Tennis Federation on Wednesday.
Kafelnikov said the level had fallen so far that whoever Russia sends in London should consider it a victory just to take part.
"Just playing at the Olympic Games is something prestigious.”
Russia’s women, especially world No. 2 Maria Sharapova and former Eastbourne champion Ekaterina Makarova, are capable of challenging for success on the Wimbledon grass courts used for the Olympics, Kafelnikov suggested.
“The women obviously are in a better situation than the men. Sharapova’s our No. 1 on grass, but Makarova can also play well if she makes it to the Olympics. The main thing is desire and preparation.”
Players can qualify for the Olympics if they are ranked in the top 56 in the ATP and WTA rankings as of June 11, subject to their recent record in the Davis Cup and Fed Cup, and a limit of four players per country in each of the singles events.
Kafelnikov is training for the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics, where he hopes to challenge for gold in the golf tournament.
