Rafael Nadal sits out Wimbledon Semifinal due to abdominal tear

Twenty-two time Grand Slam Champion and one of tennis’s all time greats, Rafael Nadal, will not compete against Nick Kyrgios in the Wimbledon Semi Final after withdrawing from the event due to suffering an abdominal tear. The injury happened after a historic 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (10-4) five set win over No.11 Taylor Fritz on Wednesday. Nadal talked to the media regarding his decision to withdraw when he stated, "I made my decision because I believe that I can't win two matches under these circumstances. I can't serve. It's not only that I can't serve at the right speed, it's that I can't do the normal movement to serve."

This is the second time in Nadal’s prestigious career that he has withdrawn from a Grand Slam tournament , the first one occurring in the 2016 French Open as a result of a left wrist injury. With Nadal pulling out the tournament now gives Kyrgio a bye to the final round where he will compete against either No.1 Novak Djokovic or No.9 Cameron Norrie for a chance at the Wimbledon crown.

Nadal’s injury is disappointing news for tennis and sports fans considering how hard he competes. He even tried putting tape around his lower abdomen to continue, but the pain was too unbearable for him to play. With that being said, who’s your favorite to take Wimbledon on the Men’s side? Will Djokovic win his 21st Grand Slam? Or will Norrie or Kyrgio capture their first ever Grand Slam trophy? Comment below.