WIMBLEDON, England — Early in his Wimbledon quarterfinal match Wednesday, Rafael Nadal hobbled off Centre Court and winced in pain. It was clear he had aggravated an abdominal injury that had bothered him all tournament. He asked the umpire for a medical timeout.
Nearby, in the player’s box, his father and sister gestured to him, urging the Spaniard to retire from his match against Taylor Fritz of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., the same player who had beaten him the in final of the PNB Paribas Open at Indian Wells earlier this year.
So uncomfortable was Nadal that he gave fleeting but serious consideration to calling it a day. He couldn’t bring himself to do it.
