The 2008 and 2010 men’s singles champion, Rafael Nadal, will not be competing at Wimbledon this year.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion confirmed that he will not be competing at SW19 from next month as has decided to give the grass-court tournament a skip in what is expected to be his final year as an ATP pro.

This is in order to represent Spain at the Olympic Games which will be played at his favourite venue, Roland Garros in Paris.

Nadal said he will miss the grass-court Grand Slam in order to focus on the Olympics and he felt it’s important not to change surfaces as he had been preparing on clay of late.

“During my post-match press conference at Roland Garros I was asked about my summer calendar and since then I have been practising on clay,” said Nadal.

“It was announced yesterday that I will play at the summer Olympics in Paris, my last Olympics.

“With this goal, we believe that the best for my body is not to change surfaces and keep playing on clay until then.

“It’s for this reason that I will miss playing at The Championships this year at Wimbledon. “I am saddened not to be able to live this year in the great atmosphere of that amazing event that will always be in my heart, and be with all the British fans that always gave me great support. I will miss you all.”

Nadal and the newly crowned French Open champion, Carlos Alcaraz, will play for Spain at the Olympics and they will play together in the men’s doubles.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport