Rafael Nadal withdrew on Thursday evening at Wimbledon for his semifinal match against Nick Kyrgios. The 22-time Grand Slam winner is suffering too much from an abdominal injury. Kyrgios is automatically in the final.
Nadal had a lot of trouble with his stomach on Wednesday during his quarterfinal match against Taylor Fritz. Despite the pain, the Spaniard then won in five sets. He initially wanted to play ‘just’ against Kyrgios, but after training and some tests, he came to the conclusion on Thursday that that is not an option.
“It doesn’t feel right, like I said yesterday. I have a tear in my muscle. I’ve thought about it all day, but it just doesn’t make sense to play,” Nadal said at a press conference on Thursday evening.
“If I did, it could only get worse. The most important thing is that I feel happy, more than any title. I don’t want to be sidelined for months because I made an irresponsible choice. “
Nadal, who won at Wimbledon against Botic van de Zandschulp, among others, has been struggling with injuries more often lately. He has also had problems with his foot for a long time. Despite this, he recently took his 22nd Grand Slam title at Roland Garros.
With his 22 titles, the Spaniard is the record holder. Due to his injury, a 23rd Grand Slam title is therefore not in the cards at Wimbledon, the tournament that he won in 2008 and 2010. It is not yet clear how long he will be sidelined.
Rafael Nadal was already treated during his match against Taylor Fritz.
Rafael Nadal was already treated during his match against Taylor Fritz. Photo: Getty Images
Kyrgios in Grand Slam final for first time
Nadal’s decision means Kyrgios will be in a Grand Slam final for the first time in his career. The eccentric Australian plays against Novak Djokovic or home favorite Cameron Norrie, who will meet in the semifinals on Friday.
Kyrgios stood out in this tournament mainly because of his behavior. He spat at a fan, behaved unsportsmanlike in his third round match against Stéfanos Tsitsipás and did not adhere to the dress code. He ended up with several fines.
In addition, the 27-year-old former top talent was charged on Tuesday for assaulting his ex-girlfriend. He is due to appear in court in Australia later this year.
Nick Kyrgios knows many eyes on himself with his behavior.
Nick Kyrgios knows many eyes on himself with his behavior. Photo: Getty Images