Rafael Nadal announced Thursday morning he's going to skip Wimbledon and the Olympics in 2021.
Nadal took to social media to explain his decision-making process, revealing that the goal is to “prolong” his career:
“Hi all, I have decided not to participate at this year’s Championships at Wimbledon and the Olympic Games in Tokyo. It’s never an easy decision to take but after listening to my body and discuss it with my team I understand that it is the right decision.
“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 he maximum level of competition.”
Rafael Nadal cited the short time between the French Open and Wimbledon as a reason for the decision:
“The fact that there has only been 2 weeks between RG 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.”
Rafael Nadal capped off his thread with a message to his fans and some love for the Olympics in general. The 35-year-old has won two Olympic gold medals, with one coming in singles in 2008 and doubles in 2016.
Nadal was eliminated by Novak Djokovic in the semifinals of the French Open. Wimbledon begins on June 28. He has won Wimbledon twice, but he hasn't come away victorious there since 2010. The tennis legend reached the semifinals in 2018 and 2019.
Let's hope Rafael Nadal uses this time off wisely and gets his body into tip-top shape for 2022. He currently has 20 Grand Slam victories to his name.
Follow Us
Subscribe