In a hammer blow to the 2016 French Open, nine-time champion Rafael Nadal announced today that he is withdrawing from the tournament due to a left wrist injury. The World No. 5 was scheduled to play his third round match against compatriot and World No. 56 Marcel Granollers on Saturday, who now gets a walkover into the Round of 16.
In a hastily-arranged press conference, a near tearful Nadal revealed that he had been battling the injury for a couple of weeks – since the Mutua Madrid Open, where he reached the semi-finals. The former World No. 1 went on to add that he had played his second round match on Thursday with an anesthesia injection but the problem unfortunately worsened last night.
Nadal was forced to do an MRI on Friday morning and the result did not prove to be favourable. The 14-time Major winner said that the injury involves the sheath of a tendon, and playing on would be highly risky as it can even break the wrist.
“If I keep playing, it’s going to be broken in couple of days…if not Roland Garros I probably wouldn’t take risk of playing first couple days,” said the 29-year-old.
The Spaniard, who was understandably morose, ended the press conference with the words: “One of the toughest press conferences in my career. Nine times in my career I’ve been able to be healthy here and win this tournament. Now is a tough moment. But it’s not the end.”
The King of Clay had looked in impeccable form in his first two matches in Paris this year and had dropped a total of just nine games.
This is Nadal’s first withdrawal from his beloved French Open where he has played 12 times, posting an incredible 72-2 record.
The tournament had already suffered a big loss even before it began with the 2009 champion Roger Federer pulling out of a Slam for the first time since 1999.
With Nadal’s withdrawal, top seed Novak Djokovic now looks the heavy favourite to win the elusive Roland Garros crown for the first time in his career.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
