Rafael Nadal pulls out of Wimbledon semi-final with injury

Rafael Nadal has pulled out of Wimbledon ahead of his semi-final clash with Nick Kyrgios.

A day before the game, Nadal, suffering from an abdominal issue, announced his decision in a press conference at All England Club.

"Unfortunately, as you can imagine, if I am here, it's because I have to pull out from the tournament,'' Nadal said on Thursday.

A walkover meant, Kyrgios had reached his maiden Grand Slam final. In Sunday's final, he will lock horns with Novak Djokovic or Cameron Norrie.

The 22-time Grand Slam winner, Nadal, practiced for around 45 minutes on Thursday, where he spent the majority of the time hitting forehands and backhands, according to ESPN. Even though he practiced some serves, they were evidently at a reduced speed.

Nadal struggled with the same issue during his five-setter victory over US' Taylor Fritz in the quarter-final. The World No. 4 wore tape over part of his abdomen and required a medical timeout during the second set on Wednesday against Fritz.

The Spain national has a seven-millimeter tear in one of his abdominal muscles, according to Spanish newspaper Marca.

Nadal, who was initially doubtful for Wimbledon due to a chronic foot injury, admitted that he felt "very sad" to take the decision but had he played the semi-final, the injury would have got "worse".

"I have tried a lot of times in my career to keep going but it is obvious the injury will get worse. Throughout the whole day, I have been thinking about the decision to make. I think it doesn't make sense to play. I feel very sad to say that. I can't imagine myself winning two matches and for respect to myself in some way I don't want to go out and not be competitive enough.

"A couple of weeks ago I saw my career very different because of the foot injury. The most important thing is happiness more than any title. I can't risk that match and stay two or three months out of the competition. I am very sad and it is a very tough one," the 36-year-old Nadal added further.

Wimbledon thanked the two-time champion, Nadal, for another memorable year. "We're sad to see it end this way, @RafaelNadal. Thank you for another year of unforgettable moments at The Championships," read Wimbledon's tweet.

Nadal was chasing a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam. By defending his Wimbledon title, Djokovic will reduce the deficit to just one.