Rafael Nadal was sombre as he announced his decision to withdraw from this year's Wimbledon.
The iconic Spaniard will no longer get the chance to claim a 23rd Grand Slam title of his career, extending the record he already holds after a promising first half of 2022. Nadal, 36, had already returned from injury to take the Australian Open in dramatic fashion, and then, more predictably, bagged a 14th French Open title at Roland Garros.
Even more gutting is that victory at SW19 would have kept him on track for a first ever calendar Slam, something not achieved in the men's game since Rod Laver's perfect year in 1969. But regardless, the 'King of Clay' will eventually retire following one of the most lucrative careers in the history of tennis.
