Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from Wimbledon and will not compete in the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, the player announced on social media on Thursday.
Nadal, who reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros (l. Djokovic) after lifting the Internazionali BNL d’Italia and Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell trophies, cited the need to recover physically after a demanding clay-court season.
“It’s never an easy decision to take but after listening to my body and discuss it with my team I understand that it is the right decision,” Nadal posted in a Twitter thread.
“The goal is to prolong my career and continue to do what makes me happy, that is to compete at the highest level and keep fighting for those professional and personal goals at the maximum level of competition.”
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The Spaniard is a two-time former champion at Wimbledon, having claimed the men’s singles trophy in 2008 and 2010. He also owns two Olympic gold medals, one in singles from the 2008 Games in Beijing and another in doubles from the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro (w/Lopez).
“I want to send a special message to my fans around the world, to those in the United Kingdom and Japan in particular,” Nadal also said. “The Olympic Games always meant a lot and they were always a priority as a Sportsperson, I found the spirit that every sports person in the world wants to live. I personally had the chance to live three of them and had the honor to be the flag bearer for my country.“
See below for the full Twitter thread of Nadal’s announcement:
Hi all, I have decided not to participate at this year’s Championships at Wimbledon and the Olympic Games in Tokyo. It’s never an easy decision to take but after listening to my body and discuss it with my team I understand that it is the right decision
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) June 17, 2021
The goal is to prolong my career and continue to do what makes me happy, that is to compete at the highest level and keep fighting for those professional and personal goals at he maximum level of competition.
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) June 17, 2021
The fact that there has only been 2 weeks between RG and Wimbledon, didn’t make it easier on my body to recuperate after the always demanding clay court season. They have been two months of great effort and the decision I take is focused looking at the mid and long term.
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) June 17, 2021
Sport prevention of any kind of excess in my body is a very important factor at this stage of my career in order to try to keep fighting for the highest level of competition and titles.
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) June 17, 2021
I want to send a special message to my fans around the world, to those in the United Kingdom and Japan in particular.
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) June 17, 2021
The Olympic Games always meant a lot and they were always a priority as a Sports person, I found the spirit that every sports person in the world wants to live. I personally had the chance to live 3 of them and had the honor to be the flag bearer for my country.“
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) June 17, 2021
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