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Rafael Nadal pulls out of Wimbledon 2022 semi-final against Nick Kyrgios due to injury
It was earlier reported prior to his practice session on Thursday that Nadal had suffered a 7-millimetre tear in one of his abdominal muscles.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the 2022 tournament with an abdomen injury ahead of his semi-final match against Nick Kyrgios on Centre Court on Friday. Nadal had battled abdominal pain to oust Taylor Fritz in the five-set thriller on Thursday to reach his eighth Wimbledon semi-final. With his withdrawal, Nadal's hope of a Calendar Grand Slam ends.
Nadal had a light practice session of around 45 minutes on Thursday in a bid to shake off his injury concerns and be ready for the big semi-final match against Kyrgios, who reached his maiden Grand Slam semi-final.
It was earlier reported by Spanish newspaper Marca prior to his practice session that Nadal had suffered a 7-millimetre tear in one of his abdominal muscles.
"I have to pull out of the tournament," Nadal said. "As everybody saw yesterday I have been suffering with pain in the abdominal [area]. That's confirmed. I have a tear in the muscle. I feel very sad to say that."
He added: "I make my decision because I believe I can’t win two matches under these circumstances. I can’t serve, not only not at the right speed, but it’s [that] I can’t do the normal movement to serve.
"I have to say that to imagine myself winning two matches and for respect to myself in some way I don’t want to go out there and not be competitive enough to play at the level I need to play to achieve my goal, and with a big chance of making things worse. A couple of weeks ago I saw my career [future] very difficult. Things now are better in that way without a doubt. But as I always said the most important thing is happiness over any title.
"I can’t risk that much and stay two-three months out of competition because that would be tough for me. If that happens, it happens, but not because I wasn’t doing things properly."
Nadal wore a tape over part of his abdomen and had taken a medical time-out during before the start of the second set in the quarter-final match against Fritz, which included taking painkillers.
Nadal was aiming to win his third Wimbledon title and first since 2010. The win would have also taken his tally of Grand Slam titles to 23 and put him one closer to the elusive Calendar Slam.
With the withdrawal, Kyrgios, who had comfortably beaten Cristian Garin in the quarters, had reached his maiden Grand Slam final and now awaits the winner of the second semi-final match between defending champions Novak Djokovic and Cam Norrie.
