Rodionova sisters called up for Rio

By Alan Baldwin

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Australian tennis sisters Arina and Anastasia Rodionova were handed a late Olympic call-up for the women’s doubles on Monday.

“Today we were notified that there was a withdrawal from the women’s doubles and as first reserves Anastasia and Arina Rodionova have now received a place,” said Australian team chief Kitty Chiller at the Rio Games.

“The girls will be our ninth set of siblings in the Australian Olympic team.”

Anastasia, 34, will be competing at her second Games while Arina, 26, will be making her Olympic debut. Samantha Stosur and Daria Gavrilova will also be representing Australia in the doubles.

The Rodionova sisters last played together at the French Open in May.

It was not immediately confirmed who had pulled out of the doubles draw.

However, the Slovak tennis federation said earlier that Dominika Cibulkova, ranked 11th in the world in singles, had withdrawn from the Games due to a leg injury.

She had also been due to compete in doubles with Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Rex Gowar)