Rafael Nadal withdraws from Wimbledon, Tokyo Olympics; says 'goal is to prolong career'
The world number three said his body is yet to recuperate from the "always-demanding clay court" season.
FollowTennis star Rafael Nadal has informed that he will not be competing in this year's Wimbledon and Tokyo Olympics.
Making the announcement on social media, Nadal clarified that it was not an easy decision to make.
The Spanish tennis star said that after consulting with his team and "listening" to his body, he decided that it was the right decision to make.
The world number three further said that his body is yet to recuperate from the "always-demanding clay court" season.
Nadal said that his goal was to prolong his career and continue to do what made him happy -- to compete at the highest level and keep fighting for professional and personal goals at the maximum level of competition.
Nadal's last outing was in the French Open, where he lost to world number one Novak Djokovic in an epic semi-final clash.
Nadal has 20 Grand Slam titles to his name. The Spaniard is a two-time former champion at Wimbledon. He won the men's singles trophy in 2008 and 2010.
Nadal has earned two Olympic gold medals for his country -- one in singles at the 2008 Games in Beijing and another in doubles at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.
In a message to fans around the world, especially in the United Kingdom and Japan, Nadal said, "The Olympics always meant a lot, and they were always a priority as a sportsperson. I found the spirit that every sportsperson wants to live. I had the chance to live three of them and had the honour to be the flag bearer for my country."
