Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal has pulled out of Wimbledon with a wrist injury.
The 30-year-old was forced to withdraw from the recent French Open, following his match with Facundo Bagnis, with the same problem and has now given up of appearing at the All England Club.
“I’m sad to announce that after talking to my doctors, and receiving the results of my last medical revision, I won’t be able to play at Wimbledon this year,” he wrote on Facebook on Thursday
“As you can all imagine, it’s a very tough decision, but the injury I suffered at Roland Garros needs time to heal.””
Nadal first struggled with his wrist problem at the Madrid Masters, but then exacerbated it during his second-round match against Bagnis in Paris.
The 2008 and 2010 Wimbledon champion had sparked hopes that he was back to his best with strong results during the clay court season, including a victory at the Monte Carlo Masters.
But the injury that cost him his chances of a tenth title at Roland Garros have proven too much to overcome.
The latest setback throws further doubt on Nadal’s future at the top of the game: it is now over two years since he made a grand slam final, and the Spaniard has been fighting for form and fitness ever since.
Nadal’s uncle and coach Toni Nadal said on Wednesday that there was no fixed date for the 14-time grand slam champion’s return to the sport, and suggested that hopes of Olympic gold trumped the player’s desire to take part in a tournament at which he’s not been past the fourth round since 2011.
“He won’t play until he’s 100 per cent,” said the coach. “We can’t take chances with the Olympics.”
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