Rafa concedes to his body, withdraws

WIMBLEDON, England—Rafa Nadal kept beating everyone this spring and summer as he chased wins at the Grand Slams—even hinting he might hit the jackpot, a true Grand Slam, victorious in all four majors in a calendar year.

But one opponent proved unbeatable. His own body.

Just before dusk descended on the All England Club on what was a surprising Thursday, Nadal withdrew from Friday’s Wimbledom semifinal against Nick Kyrgios.

It is an unimaginable blow to the tournament and to Nadal.  Also a great break to Kyrgios, who was in the headline this week for another reason, charged with assault in Australia.

“I have a tear in the stomach muscle,” Nadal told the media in a hastily called conference in the Wimbledon interview room. As everybody saw (Wednesday), I have been suffering from a pain in the abdomen. I think it is obvious if I kept going it is going to get worse.”

Nadal, 36, has struggled with injuries throughout his magnificent career in which he became the all-time leader with 22 Slam titles.

Doubtful as it may have appeared, Nadal had the opportunity to become the first male to win the Grand Slam, taking all four in a calendar year. That last was accomplished in 1969 by Rod Laver, who watched at Centre Court, Wednesday night when Rafa outlasted Taylor Fritz in five sets.

During that quarter-final, Nadal’s family and advisors, aware of his condition, kept yelling and waving at him to quit the match. Courageously, he kept playing..

Thursday, after trying to hit serves in a practice session it became apparnent Nadal would have to step aisde. He said he realiized he could not play two more rounds this tournament, if needed, and the U.S. Open in August with any chance of winning.

His departure is yet another shock to Wimbledon, missing some stars because of Covid-19 quarantining.  

  “I always said, for me the most important thing is happiness more than any title. Everybody knows how much effort  I put in to be here. But I can’t risk that.”.  Not at his age. Not at any age.

“I believe I can’t win two matches under these circumstances."

No one could remember a major tennis championship coming to such a strange—and as Nadal said—sad conclusion.

In the morning Boris Johnson, prime minster of Great Britrain was forced to resign. A few hours later, one of the all-time stars of tennis conceeded to his battered body.  

Where he or the sport goes from here we only can guess.