'I won't be a reserve player'

Svetlana Kuznetsova has no plans to travel to London as a reserve in the Russian Olympic tennis team despite being selected for the role

Russian Tennis Federation president Shamil Tarpishchev said on Sunday that Kuznetsova would be the reserve in Russia’s six-woman Olympic team, led by World No 1 Maria Sharapova.

Svetlana Kuznetsova

“I don’t know why people think so, but I won’t go to the Olympics as a reserve,” Kuznetsova said on Twitter on Sunday.

“I will play a series of American tournaments.”

Kuznetsova reached the Olympic quarter-final in Athens (2004), but lost to China’s Li Na in the first round in Beijing four years later.

The Olympic tennis tournament will be played at Wimbledon, where Kuznetsova, a former French Open and US Open champion has reached the quarter-finals on three occasions.

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!