"Different players, different personalities, Rafael Nadal, I hope your recovery goes well" - Nick Kyrgios
Nick Kyrgios took to Instagram on Thursday to wish Rafael Nadal well after the Mallorcan withdrew from Wimbledon ahead of their semi-final clash.
Nadal was due to face Kyrgios in the last four on Friday after the Spaniard came back from two-sets-to-one down against Taylor Fritz to win in five sets in the quarterfinals of SW19 on Wednesday.
However, the two-time Wimbledon champion announced his withdrawal, confirming that he had suffered a muscle tear in his abdomen.
Within a few hours of Nadal's announcement, Nick Kyrgios took to Instagram to wish the Spaniard well and made an interesting remark about their "different personalities."
"Different players, different personalities. @rafaelnadal I hope your recovery goes well and we all hope to see you healthy soon 🗣🙏🏽 till next time," Nick Kyrgios wrote.
Their semifinal clash was one of the tournament's most anticipated matches, given their history and quality of tennis. In fact, many felt Kyrgios was well poised to upset the Spaniard.
“I made the decision that I can’t win two matches under these circumstances" - Rafael Nadal
Meanwhile, two-time Wimbledon champion Nadal confirmed that he suffered a muscle tear in his abdomen during his press conference on Thursday. He pointed out that he would risk aggravating his injury should he have kept playing in the tournament.
Also Check Out :- Wimbledon 2022 Results
The 36-year-old would have likely faced Novak Djokovic in the summit clash had he found a way past Kyrgios. Beating the Serb, who is regarded amongst the fittest athletes in the world, might have been too tall an order for the Mallorcan.
“Unfortunately, I have to pull out of the tournament. I have a tear in the muscle in the abdominal. It doesn't make sense to go. Very tough circumstances. It's obvious that if I keep going the injury is going to be worse and worse," he said. “I made the decision that I can’t win two matches under these circumstances.”
We're sad to see it end this way, @RafaelNadal
Thank you for another year of unforgettable moments at The Championships
#Wimbledon https://t.co/XadiEVxaWF
The Spaniard reckons winning a title at the cost of one's health and happiness is not worth it.
"The most important thing is happiness more than any title. I can't risk that much and stay two, three months outside of the competition because that's going to be a tough thing for me," he said. "If taught happens, it happens, not because I was not doing things the proper way."