Defending Champ Nadal Withdraws From Wimbledon

Rafael Nadal figured he couldn't win Wimbledon this year because of his achy knees, so he decided it didn't make sense to try.

Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts after an exhibition match against Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka which Nadal lost at the Hurlingham Club in London, Friday June 19, 2009.(AP Photo/Akira Suemori)

(AP)

Nadal withdrew from the grass-court Grand Slam tournament Friday, three days before it begins, becoming only the second men's champion in 35 years to decline to defend his Wimbledon title.

"When I start a tournament like Wimbledon, it is to try to win," the No. 1-ranked Nadal said, "and my feeling right now is I'm not ready to play to win."

A subdued Nadal, wearing a purple T-shirt and white pants, spoke at a news conference Friday evening at the All England Club, in the same room where he took questions after beating Roger Federer in the epic 2008 final that ended after 9 p.m. with light fading.

He announced his withdrawal about 2 1/2 hours after losing to 18th-ranked Stanislas Wawrinka in an exhibition match on grass at Hurlingham Club in south London.

"Today was the last test. I didn't feel terrible but not close to my best," said Nadal, who also lost an exhibition match against 2002 Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt on Thursday. "I'm just not 100 percent. I'm better than I was a couple of weeks ago, but I just don't feel ready."

Nadal called it "one of the toughest decisions of my career," but he also added: "There's no option. I don't feel ready to compete 100 percent for two weeks."

He is the first reigning Wimbledon men's champion to pull out of the following year's tournament since Goran Ivanisevic in 2002. Otherwise, it hadn't happened since 1973, when Stan Smith opted not to defend his Wimbledon title because of an ATP boycott of the tournament.

Nadal has complained about his knees since a fourth-round loss to Robin Soderling at the French Open on May 31 ended his streak of four consecutive championships at Roland Garros. Later that week, Nadal pulled out of the Wimbledon tuneup tournament at Queen's Club, then went to Barcelona to have tests on his knees.

"I think I reached the limit right now. I need to reset to come back stronger," Nadal said.