Rafael Nadal will be a big absence in the semifinals of Wimbledon 2022 due to a severe injury that led him to make the decision to withdraw from the tournament. On the eve of the match scheduled against Nick Kyrgios, the Spanish tennis player explained that he decided to prioritize his health, as there was a "significant risk" of worsening the condition.

"I am retiring because I have a abdominal tear. There is a significant risk of worsening it if I continue playing," expressed 'Rafa' at a press conference. The former world number one added that it was the experience with this type of injury that convinced him that it was best to step aside.

"It is practically impossible to think of winning two matches at this level. I have the experience of 2009 at the US Open, when I had it (the tear) at the beginning of the tournament the size of a dime and ended up multiplying it by eight," added the Mallorcan.

What injury does Rafael Nadal have?

According to the Spanish press, the injury that affects Nadal is a seven-millimeter tear in a muscle in the abdomen, according to the diagnosis of the tests performed by doctors this Thursday. This physical discomfort presented itself during the quarterfinal match against American Taylor Fritz.

In March, against this same rival, the 36-year-old athlete had already suffered a rib fracture from the final of the Indian Wells Masters 1000 tournament, which he ended up losing.