Rafael Nadal, a two-time Olympic champion, has opted to miss Wimbledon this year in order to concentrate on the Olympics in Paris. The 38-year-old Spaniard, who won singles gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and doubles gold in Rio in 2016, will instead participate in a clay-court tournament in Bastad, Sweden to prepare for the Olympic tennis tournament that begins on July 27th.
Despite his love for Wimbledon and the “great atmosphere” of the tournament, Nadal expressed disappointment at having to skip it this year. He stated that Wimbledon will always hold a special place in his heart. Following his first-round exit at the French Open last month, Nadal has shifted his focus towards returning to the clay at Roland Garros for the Olympics.
Ranked 264th in the world, Nadal will team up with Carlos Alcaraz to play doubles at the Olympics. Although Nadal had previously hinted at retiring later this year, he admitted before the French Open that he could not say for certain if that would be his last appearance at the tournament. By prioritizing the Olympics and staying on clay until then, Nadal hopes to give his body the best chance to excel at the upcoming Olympic tennis event.
