'It's good to give back to your country' - Former Wimbledon champion disagrees with Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka skipping the Olympics

Despite being the two best players in the ATP and WTA respectively, Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka have received some criticism for opting to skip the 2024 Paris Olympic Games by tennis star Vasek Pospisil.

The Canadian veteran, who won the Wimbledon doubles trophy in 2014, played his final match at the 2025 Canadian Open. Pospisil fell to Argentine Facundo Bagnis in three sets, ending a career that saw him capture the 2014 Wimbledon doubles title in addition to the Indian Wells doubles trophy in 2015, alongside retired American Jack Sock.

Pospisil was honored with a farewell ceremony in front of home fans following his final match. The 35-year old was then ushered indoors, where he conducted one last press conference.

During the interview session, Pospisil addressed how much he enjoyed competing for Canada. The former doubles World No.4 helped his nation win the Davis Cup in 2022, in addition to reaching the semifinals of the doubles event at the Olympic Games in 2016.

Players should be honored to compete for their country, says Pospisil

After revealing his pride at representing his country at international events, Pospisil stated he could not understand why Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, both the top-ranked players in their respective circuits, would chose to to play for their countries at these events.

"Well, I mean, I think it’s, I mean, like what’s the point of this sport if you’re not going to play for your country, and play, you know,” said Pospisil. “I mean, I don’t understand players that don’t play Davis Cup and don’t play Olympics, I genuinely don’t. It’s like, how much money or success or this do you want to chase for yourself individually. Bigger picture, I just don’t understand it, honestly.
“I think it’s just a no-brainer. I mean, to play for your country, it’s good for everybody. It’s good for you, it’s good for your energy, it’s good to give back to your country, to be a role model for the kids.
“Okay, prioritize a week of rest, to play another, to be fresh for one of a thousand tournaments that you’re going to play in your career, or go and represent your country, when you’re only going to have a handful of opportunities to do that in your career. To me I just don’t understand it.
“Unfortunately, I think a lot of times it comes down to money for these guys, and that’s just not the right way to look at it. But, yeah, I mean, I just think it’s a no-brainer. I don’t know. It shouldn’t be anything special, you know. I think it should be a default setting for everybody. But the fact that it feels that way I think is, you know, not great. I feel like players should always answer the call for their country."