Spanish tennis star Nadal pulls out of Tokyo 2020, Wimbledon

By Emre Asikci

ISTANBUL (AA) - World number three Rafael Nadal will not play at the Summer Olympic Games and Wimbledon, the Spaniard confirmed on Thursday.

"Hi all, I have decided not to participate at this year’s Championships at Wimbledon and the Olympic Games in Tokyo," Nadal said on Twitter.

"It’s never an easy decision to take but after listening to my body and discuss it with my team I understand that it is the right decision," he added.

The 35-year-old also said: "Sport prevention of any kind of excess in my body is a very important factor at this stage of my career in order to try to keep fighting for the highest level of competition and titles."

Spain's Nadal, who won the gold medal in Beijing in 2008, holds a 20-time grand slam title in men's singles.

The Championships, Wimbledon will kick off on June 28 as Tokyo 2020 will start from July 23.

The Summer Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from July 23 to Aug. 8 without overseas spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic.