Nadal gutted to withdraw from London 2012

Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal has pulled out of the London 2012 olympic games with a knee injury.

The world n.o3 is suffering from tendinitus, the same knee problem that saw him miss most of the 2009 season.

The last  match Nadal played was in round two at the All England Club when the world number 100, Lukas Rosol beat the Spaniard in five sets to cause one of the biggest upsets in Wimbledon history.

With news of his latest stint of the condition, it could be that the two-time Wimbledon champion was not at full fitness when he lost to Rosol, prompting his uncharacteristic five set defeat, only the fourth ever in his career.

Similarly in 2009,  the match prior to his first spell of tendinitus was the infamous defeat to Robin Soderling at Rolland Garros.

This still remains his only defeat on the french clay to this day.

In both of  Nadal’s shock exits mentioned above, the door was consequently left wide open for the likes of Roger Federer to win his first Rolland Garros in 2009, and then Andy Murray to reach his first Wimbledon final in 2012.

These are achievements that could quite possibly have never happened had the Spanish sensation’s unlucky knee problems  not let him down.

The ever hungry Nadal will have to wait another four years to win another Olympic gold medal, whilst the game’s top players will be a little happier to see the Spanish number one not arrive in London this week.