Wimbledon - Nadal pulls out of Wimbledon

Eurosport - Sat, 20 Jun 17:07:00 2009

Champion Rafael Nadal has pulled out of Wimbledon after losing his battle to recover from a knee injury.

TENNIS 2009 Wimbledon Rafael Nadal - 0

"Unfortunately this year I won't be able to play at Wimbledon," he said.

The Spaniard, who has been struggling with tendinitis in his knees since being knocked out of the French Open last month, tested his fitness in two exhibition matches this week but after losing both decided not to defend his Wimbledon title just three days before the start of the Major.

He will be the first man not to defend his All England Club crown since Croatia's Goran Ivanisevic skipped the grasscourt Grand Slam in 2002.

"Not to play Wimbledon is one of the toughest decisions in my career but the decision was made easier because I don't feel ready to compete at 100 per cent for two weeks," said Nadal.

"I don't feel like I'm ready to play in a tournament that is as important as Wimbledon so I have decided I cannot play this year.

"I was making an effort to play week after week ... but I have two oedema (swelling of the knee joint), one in each knee... and now I'm going to be out. I don't know what time, how long.

"I tried everything, I tried hard in the last week to get in the best condition and today was my last test," added the world number one, who tried to play through the pain in an exhibition match against Stanislas Wawrinka.

"I didn't feel terrible but I was not at my best."

Just two hours before announcing that the world's most famous tournament will have to make do without its top seed and champion, Nadal made a last-ditch effort to see if he could rescue his Wimbledon hopes.

The fans at the aristocratic Hurlingham country club, just a few miles down the road from the scene of Nadal's astonishing five-set defeat of Roger Federer in the final 12 months ago, marvelled at the dashing Spaniard.

But the assembled media only had eyes for Nadal's knees.

Every bend and stretch by Nadal was scrutinised but the Mallorcan gave precious little away with his body language during what was a reasonably strenuous workout against Olympic doubles champion Wawrinka.

The Mallorcan had grimaced his way through a two-set defeat against Lleyton Hewitt the previous day yet appeared more relaxed on Friday as he showed few obvious signs of pain from his knees.

It proved to only mask the torment he felt inside.

"I've played with some problems in my knees for a few months but I always felt I'd try and try. You don't know what your limit is ... but I have now reached the limit."

Nadal, however, dismissed suggestions the injury was career threatening.

"It's not a chronic problem, I can recover for sure.

"I'm going to work very hard to come back as soon as possible, and when I came back I want to come back 100 per cent mentality and physical (fit) to win, because the problem right now is when I'm playing I'm thinking more about the knees then about the game, so that is very difficult to play."

"I am 23 years old and I hope to have a long career and come back next year... no one is more disappointed than me and the (Wimbledon crowd) must understand I tried my best."

Nadal's withdrawal means Britain's world number three Andy Murray is the highest seed left in that half of the draw.

Reuters

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  1. Title should read "Nadal pulls out of Uncle­ toni".

    From universe0016, on Sun 21 Jun 6:25PM

  2. Get well soon Rafa ! it is not interesting enough­ without your fighting spirit

    From Igor K, on Sun 21 Jun 12:35PM

  3. awwwwwwwwwwwhhhhhhh i wanted Nadal to­ winnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn hes da best­ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From cevans12, on Sat 20 Jun 8:56PM

  4. soooooper

    From Sandu, on Sat 20 Jun 7:37PM

  5. Hmmm I see the 'hackers' have nothing better to­ do now than leave messages on other peoples­ accounts...I can confirm the last message I sent on­ here was to say Jude is a girls name...why dont you­ boy/s go and have a w a n k or something and amuse­ yourself instead of acting like a cretin on here.

    From Jude, on Sat 20 Jun 6:25PM

  6. Well, it will certainly make Wimbledon more interesting­ this year! I've never really had a favourite,­ although now Murray has a chance it would be good to­ see someone British take the title...

    From chrisclaire.rogers, on Sat 20 Jun 5:41PM

  7. This is very bad news... :( I mean, I'm a Roger­ fan, but I wanted him to win his Wimbledon title­ against Rafa, not agains Murray or somebody else... Now­ Roger has no competitition...

    From djordjevicdragan, on Sat 20 Jun 4:56PM

  8. It's sad that he had to pull out, but certainly the­ sensible choice. He had problems at the end of last­ year, didn't play DC or master's Final &­ came back to win the AO. So a rest will undoubtedly be­ good for him. And he said earlier, Wimbledon is the­ top t'ment & you have to be 200% fit.
    But as­ Frew McMillan said today, what a pity he didn't­ decide before the draw & no a few hours later. If­ he had the seeds would have been in their correct­ position. The draw is computer generated, with­ scrutineers,s but thsi question of leaving Roger as No­ 2 & putting Del Potro at the top of the draw­ undoubtedly helps Murray - when did this policy of­ doing this become the rule at Wimbledon, this week? -­ If it had been Sunday with the schedule out, it would­ be understandable, but 4 days before the start of the­ t'ment - it isn't.
    As for those who say they­ won't watch - they're not tennis fans, but­ solely Rafa ones. I'm a big Federer fan, but still­ watch t'ments where he's not playing. I felt­ that something was missing whenever my old favourites­ retired, Borg, ecker, Edberg, Rafter, Agassi, but I­ soon found someone else to take their place and when­ Roger finally hangs up his raquet, I'll find­ someome else, maybe Rafa, if he's still around -­ but not Murray! And I'm one of those who still­ feel that Wimbledon is at the top, so still watch to­ the end of the 2 weeks, even when my personal­ favourites are knocked out & my personal dislikes­ are still playing.

    From Diana, on Sat 20 Jun 4:55PM

  9. Good.That means Djokovic will win this year Wimbledon.

    From Tham, on Sat 20 Jun 4:47PM

  10. Sad sad sad all us true tennis fans will miss him.Get­ well soon Rafa you will be back you are the terminater­ good luck.

    From AJ, on Sat 20 Jun 3:09PM

  11. Sad sad sad all us true tennis fans will miss him.Get­ well soon Rafa you will be back you are the terminater­ good luck.

    From AJ, on Sat 20 Jun 3:09PM

  12. excellent post gochibwe keep them coming

    From ralph, on Sat 20 Jun 2:50PM

  13. What are we gonna do without You, Nadal?You are the­ GREATEST

    From Mike X, on Sat 20 Jun 2:49PM

  14. GET WELL SOON RAFFA - GOD BLESS

    From dorothy B, on Sat 20 Jun 1:02PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    stephaniegoodlad,you on the rag or wot ? and get your­ tongue out of Rafas browneye,its making us all puke.­ what a prat.

    From universe0016, on Sat 20 Jun 12:28PM

  16. rdarienzo is a @#$%,who gives a @#$% if you dont­ watch wimbledon ? keep your ballshit to yourself­ looser.

    From universe0016, on Sat 20 Jun 12:24PM

  17. This is my first ever comment on this forum. I have­ over the years been an avid reader of other fans'­ comments. Before, the main argument was that FED was­ not the 'GOAT' because there was no one good­ enough to challenge him, then came Rafa and suddenly­ Rafa was touted the 'GOAT' for having a winning­ record against the same FED.Both are brilliant­ players,amongst the best ever but I believe both have­ their weaknesses. FED's main weakness (which­ ironically used to be one of his greatest strengths)­ was his mental strength and Nadal knew this and fair­ game has capitalised on it to date. However, Nadal had­ beaten FED so many times that FED was beginning to lose­ that fear of being defeated. In a way it explains why­ he triumphed from so many near losses at RG, positions­ from which he would have crumbled in the previous 20­ months. It remains to be seen what form FED is going to­ be in from now on after sensationally achieving his two­ unlikely milestones in one grand slam i.e. elusive RG­ and record equalling 14th GS. For the sake of tennis­ (hence entertainment) I hope he gets back to his best­ or even better.
    As for Rafa, he's now in a­ simillar quandary to FED's, where one of his main­ strengths is now his greatest weakness and that is his­ physical fitness(we've all watched Rafa, also has­ great passing shots and puts incredible spin on the­ ball). He now needs to not change his game, but rather­ adjust its dynamics to reduce it's reliance on­ power for other aspects that he has already and we can­ witness renewed rivalry between them again. I'm­ afraid simply resting is not good enough because other­ players-the top ten especially have confirmed that he­ has suspect knees and will not be kind to him when he­ returns. I believe he can do it and I know he has no­ choice but to adjust.
    As for who is trully the greatest­ player of all time?, well lets try and take a cue from­ other sports like golf, F1, boxing you name it: the­ best is he who has t

    From gochibwe, on Sat 20 Jun 11:42AM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Heroes are not born............They are­ built............trained and designed according to­ specification of a true Tennis Greatess of all­ time,,,,,RF on the way to 15 Slams...........more power­ and we want more...........

    From Roger 15 Slams, on Sat 20 Jun 11:10AM

  19. i think it's a shame nadal won't be playing­ this year but he has to put himself first or he may­ never play again - hope you get better really soon as­ watching you play is a dream - it shows the rest what­ they have to aim for but rarely beat

    From deborah.simpson10, on Sat 20 Jun 11:02AM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    llllllllllloooooooooooooooooooooooossssssssssssssssssss­ seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr he shud play­ anyyway

    From emmadavies97, on Sat 20 Jun 10:50AM
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