"If I keep going the injury is going to be worse and worse" - Rafael Nadal withdraws from Wimbledon 2022 semifinals
Rafael Nadal has pulled out of the 2022 Wimbledon Championships citing abdominal issues, putting an end to his SW19 campaign. The 22-time Grand Slam champion was all set to take on Nick Kyrgios in the semifinals tomorrow, meaning that the mercurial Australian has received a walkover into the final. He will take on either Novak Djokovic or Cameron Norrie for a chance to win a maiden Grand Slam title.
The Mallorcan was visibly in pain in his quarterfinal clash against Taylor Fritz owing to the same injury, even leading to pleas from his sister and father to retire from the match. Nadal, however, pushed through the pain and beat the American in an extraordinary five-setter to facilitate the meeting with Kyrgios.
We're sad to see it end this way, @RafaelNadal
Thank you for another year of unforgettable moments at The Championships
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The 36-year-old then went for a scan earlier today to see the extent of his injuries, which revealed a seven millimeter tear in one of his abdominal muscles. The World No. 4 intended to take to the court on Friday, but recent reports have revealed that the plan fell apart during a subsequent practice session.
Nadal had modified his service motion in practice to try and put less pressure on the abdominal area but there was less topspin and control as a result and the ball repeatedly landed long. Would have struggled tomorrow had he taken to the court.
As a result of the injury, the former World No. 1 had to resort to a modified service action to avoid exacerbating it even further. Unfortunately, it made his serve too inaccurate for his liking, making it impossible to mount a serious challenge against the former World No. 13 on Center Court.
Rafael Nadal: "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."
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Nadal confirmed as much in a press conference he hosted, stating that the severity of the injury ruled out the possibility of him winning two high-octane matches back-to-back.
“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.”
Rafa Nadal says he expects to be out for three or four weeks.
"I hope this three, four weeks will allow me to do my normal calendar."
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The Spaniard is expected to remain out of action for the next three to four weeks, following which he hopes to resume normal service for the remainder of the season.
Rafael Nadal's calendar Grand Slam dream ends as a result of the withdrawal
With the withdrawal, Rafael Nadal's dreams of winning the calendar Slam have officially come to an end. After winning the Australian Open and the French Open earlier this year, the 22-time Grand Slam champion was looking to arrive at the US Open in August with a shot at becoming the first man since Rod Laver to win all four Majors in a calendar year.
In a press conference, Rafael Nadal has confirmed that he is pulling out of #Wimbledon, ending his quest to complete the calendar Grand Slam in 2022.
Nick Kyrgios receives a walkover through to his first Grand Slam final where he will face either Novak Djokovic or Cam Norrie.
The 36-year-old will be arriving at Flushing Meadows instead with only an unbeaten record in Grand Slam matches, which currently stands at 19-0 for the season. While it cannot be said with any certainty at the moment whether he will be fit in time for the stint at New York, fans will be hoping the World No. 4 recovers enough to compete in the tournament.
Rafa Nadal: "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. If taught happens, it happens, not because I was not doing things the proper way."
The former World No. 1 had his health in mind when making the decision, stating in the press conference that he did not want to overexert himself now and end up staying on the sidelines for the next couple of months.
"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."
Also Check Out :- Wimbledon 2022 Results