Simona Halep will focus on Tokyo 2020 instead of the Fed Cup ©Getty Images

Romanian tennis star Simona Halep has said she will not represent her country in the Fed Cup this year in order to concentrate on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The former world number one said opting for the Games over the women's team competition was a "difficult" choice, according to Telekom Sport.

It comes after she opted to skip the Rio 2016 Olympics due to fears of the Zika virus.

This year's edition of the Fed Cup features a major change as, for the first time, 12 countries will contest the Finals over the course of a week.

Under the previous system, knock-out matches were held across the world leading up to a final between two teams.

Budapest is hosting the inaugural new-look Finals, between April 14 and 19.

Qualification to earn a spot will begin next month, while the Olympic tennis tournament will begin in Tokyo on July 25.

"After many discussions with the team, I chose the Olympics," Halep said.

"I decided that I will play the Olympics and for this, to be able and capable of being 100 per cent in our minds for the preparation, I chose to play only the Olympics this year and I will do it with great pride and honour.

"It was a very difficult decision that I had to make, but it was the best thing for all of us that we decided with the team.

Simona Halep lost in the first round at London 2012 before withdrawing from Rio 2016 due to Zika virus fears ©Getty Images
Simona Halep lost in the first round at London 2012 before withdrawing from Rio 2016 due to Zika virus fears ©Getty Images

"It is not a withdrawal from the Fed Cup, it is just the year of the Olympics."

Halep reached the semi-finals with the Romanian Fed Cup team last year and is the current world number four.

She has two Grand Slam titles to her name, winning Wimbledon last year and the French Open in 2018.

The 28-year-old was one of many high-profile athletes, largely from the sports of tennis and golf, to miss Rio 2016 because of Zika.

The virus, which is spread by mosquitoes, was linked to birth defect microcephaly which causes babies to be born with small heads and under-developed brains.

At the time, Halep said: "Family is much too important for me and I can't risk not being able to have one of my own after my career in tennis is over."

In the end, fears of the virus were unfounded with the World Health Organization stating that no cases were reported in anyone connected with Rio 2016.

Halep did play at London 2012 but was knocked out in the first round by Kazakhstan's Yaroslava Shvedova.