Nadal pulls out of Wimbledon, Tokyo Olympics

Rafael Nadal says he will not be competing at this month’s Wimbledon and will also be absent from this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The world number three and 20-time Grand Slam champion says he needs to recuperate after a long clay-court season.

Nadal, who won the Wimbledon titles in 2008 and 2010, failed to go past the semifinals at the French Open after defeat to Novak Djokovic.

“It’s never an easy decision but after listening to my body and discussing it with my team I understand that it is the right decision,” said the Spaniard in a Twitter post.

Read Also: BREAKING: Djokovic ends Nadal’s French Open reign to set up Tsitsipas final

“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,” added the 35-year-old.

Wimbledon is set to begin on 28 June, while Tokyo Olympics is set for 23 July, but Nadal pointed out in his Twitter post that the time for rest after Paris was not enough.

“The fact that there has only been two weeks between Roland Garros 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,” he added.

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