Rafael Nadal Withdraws From Queen’s, Is Wimbledon Next?

Boris Becker once had great advice for Nadal
Skip the grass & that’s my advice also
Nadal should concentrate on the hardcourt season only
No point even playing on grass with his wonky knees
I’m sure he will be back as will Federer but the clock is ticking on both of their careers
The worst thing this year was pulling out of the French
It was his favourite tournament plus he was playing well
No luck simple as that just concentrate on the Olympics in Rio for now
Good luck

June 1st, 2016 at 8:36 am

Awful tough spot for Rafa. He was so close to being back to 90-95% peak Nadal, good enough to be favored over all save Djokovic and now perhaps Murray, and another setback hits him.
I think from his past, he feels he has to play a warmup event to get confident on grass again, and get to where he gets his “grass legs” so he doesn’t injure knee or ankles being shaky on the surface. The wrist injury, even if better right before Wimbledon – if it stops his preps – I don’t think Rafa goes and risks it.
But the sport goes on, and so will Rafa for longer than doomsayers predict. He misses the FO and Wimbledon, he still has the Olympics, USO, and YEC to look forward to. Another chapter in the great Djokovic rivalry. Rafa is about due to get a W against Novak. The YEC is the last big thing left on his tennis bucket list. Done everything else.

June 1st, 2016 at 8:41 am

Grass is for cows, not great tennis players.

June 1st, 2016 at 9:35 am

HR
I agree on the grass part.

June 1st, 2016 at 10:01 am

Very sad! Hope DelPo will provide some excitement on grass to make up for this loss.

June 1st, 2016 at 10:35 am

😟 Hopefully he’ll be recovered in time for Rio.

June 1st, 2016 at 10:50 am

On a more positive note, it looks like Kokkinakis has entered Queens (at least he has shown up in the doubles list). Hopefully his injury woes are over.

June 1st, 2016 at 1:15 pm

I am a very generous man. I just wanted to leave the grass for the cows and goats, and not ruin it playing a “gentleman’s game” on grass.

June 1st, 2016 at 1:56 pm

Wrist injuries are bad. See how Delpo never recovered from it, even 7 years later, even when it happened at a much younger age, even when he uses his wrist less than Nadal (who creates enormous spin on forehand).

Back injuries are also bad. Agassi eventually retired at age 35 due to that.

Lets cherish both Fed and Nadal’s achievements, and move on. Both are history.

I am really hoping Thiem shows some guts. The other semi finalists are geriatric – 29, 31, 29 years old. He is 22, here’s hoping for a new, YOUNG slam winner.

June 1st, 2016 at 8:44 pm

I like Thiem, but he still lacks something, just look at the he is losing his matches.

June 1st, 2016 at 8:49 pm

^^ “at the way” should say

June 1st, 2016 at 8:51 pm

“Just look at the way he is losing his matches”

I looked at it. So what? He’s 40-10 for the season.

[Rome] (6)Kei Nishikori [JPN] d. (13)Thiem 6-3 7-5
[Madrid] (PR)Juan Martin Del Potro [ARG] d. (14)Thiem
[Munich] (4)Philipp Kohlschreiber [GER] d. (3)Thiem 7-6(7) 4-6 7-6(4)
[Monte Carlo] (5)Rafael Nadal [ESP] d. (12)Thiem 7-5 6-3
[Miami] (1)Novak Djokovic [SRB] d. (14)Thiem 6-3 6-4
[Indian Wells] (7)Jo Wilfried Tsonga [FRA] d. (11)Thiem 6-3 6-2
[Rio de Janeiro] Guido Pella [ARG] d. (5)Thiem 6-1 6-4
[Australia] (15)David Goffin [BEL] d. (19)Thiem 6-1 3-6 7-6 7-5
[Sydney] Gilles Muller [LUX] d. (2)Thiem 7-6(2) 2-2 RET
[Brisbane] (1)Roger Federer [SUI] d. (8)Thiem 6-1 6-4

Six of those 10 losses came against players higher ranked, 5 of which top-10. One retirement in Sydney against Muller. Remaining 3 losses were to lower ranked players: he lost to Guido Pella in Rio after long matches in his run to Buenos Aires title. Later on in the year, he lost a tight 3-setter to Kohlschreiber in his country; right after the Munich loss, literally the next day, he lost obviously tired to Del Potro. All his losses to higher ranked opponents have been very respectable. He’s always been right there, with a few points making the difference. The fact he beat David Goffin after losing to him in 4 at the Aussie open tells me the kid’s improving, rrrrapidly (and has more upside than Goffin).

Wouldn’t be surprised to see a good match, but a stingy, on-fire Nole obviously won’t lose to him.

June 2nd, 2016 at 11:13 am

James…I totally disagree…RAFA & Roger are not history. They will still play & we will enjoy seeing them out there on court.
His game is about his LEFT wrist…how many balls can he return over and over as he does without damaging it further??? Wonder if he will consider surgery but that isn’t a guarantee that will cure his woes & I’m sure he knows that.
We will just have to wait & see. Just don’t write them off w/such finality. I think that is very presumptious.

June 3rd, 2016 at 12:38 am

Nadal was playing well enough to have his best chance since 2014 to finally beat Djokovic
However luck once again in the form of injury wrecked his chance to finally win 10 French Opens
This was the only place I was confident Nadal could finally beat Djokovic

June 3rd, 2016 at 5:21 am

Many Happy returns of the day Mr Rafael Nadal, rest up and enjoy your 30th birthday, come back fit for Rio ….

June 3rd, 2016 at 5:31 am