Wrist injury rules Rafael Nadal out of Wimbledon

Rafael Nadal will not play at Wimbledon because of the wrist injury that forced him out of the French Open.
A wrist injury has ruled two-time champion Rafael Nadal out of  Wimbeldon. Picture: Michel Euler/APA wrist injury has ruled two-time champion Rafael Nadal out of  Wimbeldon. Picture: Michel Euler/AP
A wrist injury has ruled two-time champion Rafael Nadal out of Wimbeldon. Picture: Michel Euler/AP

The 14-time grand slam champion initially felt pain in his left wrist at the Madrid Open last month but it worsened at Roland Garros and he withdrew ahead of his third-round match.

Nadal was initially positive about his chances of playing at Wimbledon but a statement yesterday from his agent Benito Perez-Barbadillo read: “Rafa Nadal announces today that he won’t be taking part at this year’s Championships at Wimbledon due to the injury he suffered on his left wrist during this year’s Roland Garros event that forced him to withdraw after his second round match. His left wrist will continue (to be) immobilised for a maximum of two weeks. After that the player will start an anti-inflammatory rehabilitation and physiotherapy-based treatment once the cast is removed.”

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Nadal had hoped his wrist would only need to be immobilised for two weeks and that the injury would have cleared up in four weeks, giving him a chance of playing Wimbledon.

The champion in 2008 and 2010, Nadal has failed to go beyond the fourth round in the last four years, losing to Lukas Rosol, Steve Darcis, Nick Kyrgios and Dustin Brown.

The Spaniard, who turned 30 last Friday, is also desperate to be fit for the Olympics in Rio having missed the London Games with knee problems.

Nadal has been selected as flag bearer for the opening ceremony, a role he had been due to perform in 2012.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has pulled out of next week’s Aegon Championships at Queen’s with a thigh problem.