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A lot of Olympic news this week, as countries finalize who they’re nominating and … who doesn’t want to go.

The American team will have some pretty notorious no-shows. And despite that, who will have a better squad than they will?

Also – a former top-10 makes her return – finally.

And a British player is still knee-deep in debt fighting the anti-doping system.

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Marino double-header puts her in Ilkley semis

It’s too bad that, unlike the men, the women’s champion at the Ilkley Challenger generally doesn’t get a wild card into the Wimbledon main draw.

Because Canadian Rebecca Marino is gunning for it.

Marino won two matches on Thursday: a second-round, 6-1, 7-6 (0) win over Brit Ranah Akua Stoiber. And later in the day, a 6-3, 6-3 win over Daria Snigur of Ukraine.

She’ll play Aussie Kimberly Birrell on Friday for a spot in the final.

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11-strong US Olympic team missing four top-30s

The Olympic tennis nominations should be coming fast and furiously now, with the deadline for nominations from the players’ national federations being Wedneday.

We’re still waiting for Canada, but the Americans have announced.

And there are a … lot of top players who are taking a pass.

***Rajeev Ram is the only player from the 2016 Rio squad to be nominated for the 2024 Olympics.***

Notably, Ben Shelton (which he’d already made clear), Sebastian Korda and Frances Tiafoe are not going back to Paris. Neither is Madison Keys, ranked No. 12.

The three men, all in the top 30, are the No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 US players.

Going are No. 1 Taylor Fritz and No. 2 Tommy Paul, who also will be playing doubles together.

And with those declines, a couple of honorable foot soldiers will get to play: Christopher Eubanks and Marcos Giron.

Nominated in doubles are Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek.

On the women’s side, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula (who also will play doubles), Danielle Collins and Emma Navarro are in, along with Desirae Krawczyk in doubles.

Krawczyk was selected over Nicole Melichar-Martinez, who is ranked higher and, as a top-10 player in doubles, should automatically be selected and be able to choose who she wants to partner with.

Except if your country decides not to nominate you, of course. Hugely disappointing for her. And there was a spot available as well.

There are 11 nominations in all. Gauff was to play in Tokyo, but ended up getting COVID just prior to the Games and had to pass.

***Stephens, seen here in Rio, might qualify for the Olympics in 2024. But country limits leave her on the outside.***

All, it should be noted, are in the top 20. And with the country limit of four, No. 46 Sofia Kenin and No. 48 Sloane Stephens – who would make by virtue of their ranking – are shut out.

They’ll also field a mixed doubles team, to be determined later.

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What’s up with Rybakina?

The Russian-turned-Kazakh player, No. 4 in the world, retired again Friday just four games into her Berlin quarterfinal against Victoria Azarenka.

Clearly unwell, she double-faulted with two serves that about hit the baseline, hit another just as far on her first serve at 15-15, then bent over, with her hand to her face and immediately went to sit down in her chair.

Then, suddenly, she dashed off court. And that was pretty much it.

It was far from the first time Rybakina has been ill, retired or withdrew from tournaments this season. Hopefully they’re doing the hard yards to figure out what the problem is.

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Lehecka’s injury woes keep him out of Paris

One player who wanted badly to compete in Paris but will be unable to is 22-year-old Czech Jiri Lehecka.

Lehecka reached the semifinals at the Madrid Open. But he ended up having to withdraw before his match against Felix Auger-Aliassime.

And he hasn’t been able to play since then because of back issues.

Today was the deadline for an Olympic games nomination and unfortunately I won't be part of it. I'm very sad that I won't be able to compete at the Olympics in Paris next month.
Since I was a little boy watching the Olympics from home, having fun playing with my grandfather, pic.twitter.com/ThTN4Nbtmp
— Jiří Lehečka (@jirilehecka) June 19, 2024

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Finally, Muchova is back

Just when the talented Karolina Muchova made her big breakthrough by getting to the Roland Garros final last year. Just when she got to the top 10 (No. 8 after making the US Open semifinals), her career suddenly went full stop.

It wasn’t the first time; Muchova has had more than her share of injuries.

The good news is that she’s finally back, planning to return for Eastbourne and then, the following week, for Wimbledon.

Muchova has been out since losing to Coco Gauff in the semifinals of the US Open last September. She qualified for the WTA FInals – but couldn’t play.

Muchova tried the rehab route for months but finally ended up having surgery on her right wrist in February.

The Czech made the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in both 2019 and 2021. And it’s no surprise; her ability to serve-volley, her great slice and all-court game are made to thrive there.

10 months out but finally- see you at the tournaments 🫶🏼
📍 Eastbourne & Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/zqjptdZgs0
— Karolina Muchova (@karomuchova7) June 20, 2024

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Tara Moore’s raw deal

As much attention as Simona Halep received during her protracted, but ultimately successful, battle with the anti-doping authorities, she had the means to hire a team of the best, most expensive lawyers in the business to fight her case.

Contrast that with Brit Tara Moore, a 31-year-old doubles specialist who has 1/80th of Halep’s career earnings and who has lived a personal hell for the last year and a half.

Moore, then ranked No. 83, tested positive in April 2022 after reaching the final of the WTA tournament in Bogota, Colombia with her partner and wife Emina Bektas.

The sample contained Nandrolone metabolites, Boldenone and a metabolite. But the difference there is that these types of positives tests are not uncommon in South America, where they use various steroids in raising their beef.

Usually, those types of positive tests are resolved rather quickly.

But in this case, it took 19 MONTHS for an ITIA independant tribunal to finally hear her case, and to clear her along with another player, Barbara Gatica.

In comparison, ATP doubles star Robert Farah tested positive for boldenone in an out-of-competition test in Oct. 2020. He was provisionally suspended on Jan. 21, 2021 – when he was already in Adelaide preparing to start the season – and missed the Australian Open. Just a few WEEKS later, he was cleared as it was determined the steroid came from eating a steak at his mother’s house.

Moore could finally get back on court and try to make a living and dig herself out of legal debt. She returned in early May, and made the final of the $100K grass-court ITF in Surbiton two weeks ago.

But even as recently as April, she was still dealing with huge legal bills. And since her return, she’s earned $2,594. That probably doesn’t even cover her expenses – not even close.

This is just some of the stuff I’m still dealing with. It’s very much NOT over for me and it’s absolutely terrifying. pic.twitter.com/h7HnBMkL4j
— Tara Moore (@TaraMoore92) June 19, 2024

She has a GoFundMe, if you want to help.

Moore still hasn’t received a wild card for the Wimbledon doubles; she’s playing in the wild-card playoff this week with the prize a spot in the singles qualifying at Roehampton next week.

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Hangzhou replaces Zhuhai on Asian swing

There seem to be no shortage of Chinese cities willing to step up on the fall Asian swing.

And the latest is Hangzhou, a city some 180 kilometres from Shanghai with a population of 13 million.

The tournament, to be played the week of Sept. 17, is being relocated from Zhuhai, which hosted the first ATP event in China since before the pandemic last September) and will have $1 million US in prize money.

The event had just had its inaugural edition in 2019 (won by Alex de Minaur) when COVID hit. Karen Khachanov won it last year in its return; Korda, Andy Murray and Cameron Norrie were in the field.

Hangzhou has a 10,000-seat downtown stadium with a retractable roof – which is high level for a new ATP 250 tournament, and was used for last year’s Asian Games. It was one of eight stadiums built in that city for the Games.

So far, they’ve signed up Holger Rune and Andrey Rublev, along with Chinese players Zhang Zhizhen and Wu Yibing (who has been out with injury).

The ATP site doesn’t seem to be up on the relocation yet.