Rafael Nadal withdraws from Wimbledon due to injury, sending Nick Kyrgios straight to the final

By David Close, CNN

Updated 1904 GMT (0304 HKT) July 7, 2022

Rafael Nadal withdrew from Wimbledon on Thursday because of a torn abdominal muscle, announcing his decision a day before he was supposed to play in the semifinals.

(CNN)Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from Wimbledon due to an abdominal injury.

The 22-time grand slam champion was scheduled to face Nick Kyrgios in their semifinal match on Friday. Kyrgios will now head straight to the final to face the winner of the match between Novak Djokovic and Cameron Norrie. «I have to pull out from the tournament,» Nadal said during a Thursday news conference. «I have a tear in the (abdominal) muscle.»The Spaniard came through a grueling five-set match against Taylor Fritz on Wednesday, winning 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6, but at times looked to be struggling with an injury to his abdomen.On more than one occasion, Nadalremained hunched over after a shot and was holding his midriff. The two-time Wimbledon champion called the trainer out for an assessment in the second set, before eventually using a medical timeout and leaving the court for treatment.Read More«We're sad to see it end this way,» Wimbledon tweeted, tagging Nadal. «Thank you for another year of unforgettable moments at The Championships.»Earlier this year, Nadal played through the pain barrier to win his 14th French Open title, receiving injections in his foot before each match. In a post-match news conference at Roland Garros, Nadal said his 21-year career had left him enduring pain «every single day.»

CNN's Matias Grez contributed to this report.