The 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafa Nadal had serious problems during his Wednesday match against Fritz.
Rafa Nadal announced this Thursday that he will not play the Wimbledon semifinal on Friday that he had planned against Nick Kyrgios due to his abdominal injury.
“I have an abdominal tear. We have talked all day about the decision that had to be made, but there is no point in playing if I want to continue my career,” explained the 36-year-old Spanish tennis player at a press conference, quoted AFP. “If I play, the injury will get worse and worse,” he added. “I have made this decision because I cannot win two more games. Out of respect for myself, I do not want to play without being competitive at the level I want and at the same time aggravate my injury,” he insisted.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion had serious problems during his Wednesday match against Fritz. From the stands, his relatives asked him to leave with gestures, but Nadal preferred to continue despite the pain that he later admitted to feeling.
“The decision was good because I finished the game and I also won. I’m not the type of person to look back after making a decision. You learn from your mistakes, I try not to repeat them, but I didn’t want to give up and leave the court in the middle of the game”, he explained. “I’ve had abdominal problems for a week, but I was getting them under control. So, Yesterday (Wednesday) it became very painful. The little injury he had a few days before had gotten bigger,” he noted.
Nadal, current number four in the world, considers that he will not be cured before “three or four weeks”. In principle, he should not modify his plans for the tournaments to be played soon.
The Majorcan tennis player won the first two Grand Slam titles this season (Australian Open and Roland Garros), bringing his total of ‘majors’ to 22, a record.
He aspired at this Wimbledon to continue his streak and sign his third title on the London lawn, but according to the Spanish press his abdominal tear is seven millimeters and that has made it impossible for him to continue.
Nadal’s withdrawal allows Kyrgios to qualify, without even playing, for his first Grand Slam final.
The volcanic Australian player, ranked 40th in the ATP ranking and who on Wednesday eliminated Chilean Cristian Garín in the quarterfinals, will face Serbian Novak Djokovic or Briton Cameron Norrie on Sunday in the final, who will meet on Friday in the semifinals.
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