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Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from his Wimbledon semi-final against Nick Kyrgios with an abdominal injury
In an emotional video shared by Wimbledon on Twitter, Rafael Nadal can be seen bidding goodbye to the staff and fans at the All England Tennis Club, after withdrawing from the tournament due to an abdominal injury. Nadal confirmed he has a tear in his abdominal muscle which means he would not be able to be competitive over two matches. The two-time Wimbledon champion had been on course for a calendar Grand Slam, having won the Australian and French Opens already this year.
The 36-year-old Spanish second seed received treatment during his quarter-final against Taylor Fritz on Wednesday but pushed through the pain to win in five sets. He took a medical timeout during the match and ignored calls from his father and sister to quit before somehow rallying to win.
On Thursday, Nadal called for a press conference and confirmed that he is withdrawing from the tournament ahead of his semi-final clash. “I have tried a lot of times in my career to keep going but it is obvious the injury will get worse. Throughout the whole day I have been thinking about the decision to make. I think it doesn’t make sense to play. I feel very sad to say that”, Nadal told reporters.
Nadal’s withdrawal is indeed heart-breaking for fans across the world. Let us take a look at a few reactions on Twitter.
“Makes me sad because he’s no longer in the tournament but happy because he’s such a gentleman!! #Wimbledon”, wrote a fan, who certainly reflects the thoughts of most of us.
Another fan wished Nadal a speedy recovery so that we can see him back in action at the earliest. “Humble, respectful and classy #RafaelNadal 😍 wishing him a speedy recovery“, she wrote.
“He is a true gentleman, not many like him left. Good luck and a speedy recovery to Nadal, see you next year”, tweeted another fan.
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