The shock message burst in just before 7 p.m. local time in London.
Tennis superstar Rafael Nadal (36/Spain) will not compete against Nick Kyrgios (27) in the Wimbledon semifinals on Friday. The Australian is without a fight in the final against Novak Djokovic (35 / Serbia) or local matador Cameron Norrie (26).
Reason: His severe abdominal muscle injury from the quarterfinals against American Taylor Fritz (24) on Wednesday. His sister and father tried to persuade him to give up, but he refused.
Instead, he was calmed down with painkillers and went to the doctor on Thursday. Since the devastating diagnosis: a seven millimeter long tear in the abdominal muscle. Nadal at a press conference on Thursday evening: “Retiring is a tough decision, but it no longer makes sense. I’ve been thinking all night and today. The circumstances are too difficult. The injury got worse and worse.”
The Italian Fabio Fognini (35) accused him of simulating. Nadal: “I can’t win anything like that. I can’t serve. I can’t move on serve. I don’t want to go out and not be able to keep up. Even if it had worked out in the semifinals, how should I have played the final? Playing two games with a torn ab is impossible at this high level.”
Does the injury even mean the end of the career of the 22-time Grand Slam winner? “I’m not going to resign now. My most important things are being happy and winning titles. But I don’t want to be out for three months. I have to live with it now. I am very sad.”
The end seems to annoy him particularly badly because after the Australian Open and French Open he could have won the third Grand Slam tournament of the year. The Grand Slam of getting all four majors in one calendar year seemed possible.
Photo: POOL/Pool via REUTERS
” data-zoom-src=”https://bilder.bild.de/fotos/auf-der-pressekonferenz-in-wimbledon-wirkte-rafael-nadal-sicht-mitnahmen-0d30d331c804417b9ee2182eb2d8a40d-80635880/Bild/6.bild. jpeg”/> At the press conference in Wimbledon, Rafael Nadal looked visibly upsetPhoto: POOL/Pool via REUTERS
The Majorcan: “The fact that I was here after Paris shows how much the tournament means to me. I played very well. That makes it even worse because I was at that level.” In Paris he had just won for the 14th time, beating Novak Djokovic there, among others, whom he could have met in the Wimbledon final …
The former number 1 is responsible for the fact that he didn’t give up against Fritz. I won too. I’m not the type to look back and say I shouldn’t have done it. I just didn’t want to leave the pitch in the middle of the quarterfinals. I’m proud of that,” said Nadal.
Foto: Kirsty Wigglesworth/dpa
” data-zoom-src=”https://bilder.bild.de/fotos/rafael-nadal-beim-match-versus-taylor-fritz-die-ache-were-in-between-sehr-strong-593a03e09ca54907ae86ff648e0670ac-80635950/ picture/6.picture.jpg”/> Rafael Nadal in the match against Taylor Fritz. The pain was very severe at timesFoto: Kirsty Wigglesworth/dpa
However, the difficulties did not arise suddenly. “I’ve had problems for a week but we got a grip on them. But Wednesday was the worst day. I’ve been doing tests as the injury progresses, but in the match the small thing I’ve had for days turned into a big one.”
Like Alexander Zverev (25), are the US Open from August 29th to September 11th in danger?
“It will probably take me three or four weeks before I can play again. I’m hoping to stick to my game plan and hit from the baseline in a week’s practice, albeit without serving. Then it’s off to Montreal, it was always good there. I will do that, I think,” said Nadal.
Photo: Joe Toth/AP
” data-zoom-src=”https://bilder.bild.de/fotos/der-main-interview-room-in-wimbledon-platzte-bei-rafael-nadals-pressekonferenz-aus-allen-naehten-25686906690f4c6ab19fb8e81e9091ee- 80635962/image/5.image.jpg”/> The Main Interview Room at Wimbledon was bursting at the seams at Rafael Nadal’s press conferencePhoto: Joe Toth/AP
