Australian Nick Kyrgios has received a walkover from second seed Rafael Nadal ahead of their scheduled semifinal at Wimbledon 2022.
London, Great Britain, 8 July 2022 | Leigh Rogers
Nick Kyrgios will contest the Wimbledon 2022 gentlemen’s singles final.
The 27-year-old Australian has received a walkover in the semifinals, with second seed Rafael Nadal unable to compete due to an abdominal injury.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Nadal made the decision today, ahead of tomorrow’s semifinals.
“I think it doesn’t make sense to go (on),” said a disappointed Nadal. “Even if I tried lot of times during my career to keep going under very tough circumstances, I think it’s obvious that if I keep going, the injury (is) going to be worse and worse … (I) feel very sad to say that.”
We’re sad to see it end this way, @RafaelNadal
Thank you for another year of unforgettable moments at The Championships#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/XadiEVxaWF
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2022
A Grand Slam men’s singles semifinal has only been decided via a walkover once before in the Open era, when Jim Courier received a walkover from Richard Krajicek in the Australian Open 1992 semifinals.
“I made my decision because I believe that I can’t win two matches under these circumstances,” said Nadal, who had been on a 19-match winning streak in Grand Slam matches this season.
“I can’t serve. Is not only that I can’t serve at the right speed, it’s that I can’t do the normal movement to serve.
“I don’t want to go out there, not be competitive enough to play at the level that I need to play to achieve my goal, and with a big chance to make the things much worse, no?”
This is just the second time in Nadal’s storied Grand Slam career, which has netted a record 22 titles and 310 match wins, that he has withdrawn mid-tournament.
World No.40 Kyrgios becomes the ninth Australian to progress to a Wimbledon gentlemen’s singles final in the Open era and first since Mark Philippoussis 19 years earlier, who was also unseeded when he contested the 2003 final.
Wimbledon gentlemen’s singles
Australian finalists – Open era
Player
Year
Rod Laver
1968, 1969
Tony Roche
1968
John Newcombe
1969, 1970, 1971
Ken Rosewall
1970, 1974
Pat Cash
1987
Pat Rafter
2000, 2001
Lleyton Hewitt
2002
Mark Philippoussis
2003
Nick Kyrgios
2022
Kyrgios is the first Australian man to reach any Grand Slam singles final since Lleyton Hewitt’s runner-up finish at Australian Open 2005.
He will play either top seed and three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic or British hope Cameron Norrie in Sunday’s championship match.
Aussies in action – Wimbledon
RESULTS
Gentlemen’s singles, semifinals
Nick Kyrgios (AUS) d [2] Rafael Nadal (ESP) walkover
COMING UP
Gentlemen’s singles, final
Nick Kyrgios (AUS) v TBC
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