Rafa Nadal withdraws from Queen's Club event due to injury
Wednesday 1 June 2016 15:38, UK
Rafa Nadal has been forced to pull out of the Aegon Championships at Queen's Club due to his left wrist injury.
The niggling wrist injury dogged the left-handed Spaniard last month and led to his withdrawal from the French Open on Friday following his 6-3 6-0 6-3 second-round win over Facundo Bagnis, before which he had a painkilling injection.
The 29-year-old is still troubled by the problem and now faces a race against time to be fit for Wimbledon, which starts on June 27, with the Aegon Championships taking place in west London from June 13-19.
In a statement on the LTA website, Nadal, who won the event in 2008, said: "I am very sad that my wrist injury means that I cannot play at The Queen's Club this year.
"It is a tournament and a club that I love. I enjoy playing in front of the British people and I was looking forward to trying to win the title for a second time.
"I wish everyone at the tournament a great week and I look forward to returning in future years.
Speaking last Friday about the injury he first felt in Madrid earlier in May, 14-time Grand Slam winner Nadal said it was to do with the tendon sheath in his left wrist.
Nadal was advised it should clear up within two to four weeks although he also indicated three months would be a worst-case scenario.
He said then: "We're going to work hard to be ready for Wimbledon. I need a couple of weeks [with the wrist] immobilised. Then we're going to do the treatment and we hope that works well. We expect to recover quick and to be ready for Wimbledon."
