Nadal Drops Out Of Wimbledon And Sends Kyrgios—Accused Of Assault—To Finals

Topline

Rafael Nadal will withdraw from Wimbledon ahead of his Friday semifinal match against Nick Kyrgios due to an injury, he announced Thursday, sending 27-year-old Kyrgios into his first Grand Slam singles final amid allegations he assaulted his former girlfriend last year.

Key Facts

Nadal will not vie for his third Wimbledon title because of an abdominal injury he sustained during his quarterfinal match against Taylor Fritz, he told reporters at a news conference Thursday.

He said he hopes taking off between three and four weeks to recover will allow him to resume his playing schedule this season, after winning both the French and Australian opens this year.

Because of Nadal’s exit, Kyrgios will be granted a walkover bye and play in Sunday’s final against either defending champion Novak Djokovic or Cameron Norrie, who will face off in their semifinal match Friday morning.

Key Background

Kyrgios has been a controversial figure at Wimbledon this year, amid legal trouble stemming from allegations he assaulted his former girlfriend Chiara Passari. Reports circulated this week that Kyrgios was ordered to appear in an Australian court in August to face assault charges. The case is in relation to claims that Kyrgios grabbed Passari, and he faces a maximum of two years behind bars if he’s found guilty, according to The Canberra Times, which first reported the charges. “The nature of the allegation is serious, and Mr. Kyrgios takes the allegation very seriously,” his attorney told The Canberra Times. Kyrgios has declined to comment on the charges when asked by reporters.

Further Reading

Amid Assault Charges, Nick Kyrgios Reaches First Major Semifinal At Wimbledon (Forbes)

Controversial Tennis Star Kyrgios Accused Of Domestic Assault Amid Wimbledon Run (Forbes)