Let the Murray hype commence...
World number one Rafael Nadal will not defend his Wimbledon men's singles crown because of a knee injury.
Nadal, struggling with tendinitis, had problems with his movement during an exhibition match in London on Thursday in a 6-4 6-3 loss to Lleyton Hewitt.
And Nadal, 23, went down 4-6 7-6 (10-3) to Stanislas Wawrinka when he returned to the Hurlingham Club on Friday.
He is the first champion not to defend his SW19 crown since Croatia's Goran Ivanisevic skipped the event in 2002.
Nadal, the four-time French Open champion, had been drawn to play Arnaud Clement at Wimbledon on Monday.
Nadal was forced to withdraw from last week's tournament at Queen's Club with knee trouble and underwent intense rehabilitation in Barcelona.
He was diagnosed with tendinitis in both quadriceps tendons as well as a small amount of fluid on the kneecaps.
606: DEBATE
I'm scared that Nadal will be out for the rest of the season, what do you think?
laughingnadalfed
The 23-year-old looked to be on the mend after practising with Andy Murray at the All England Club on Wednesday, but the following day the Spaniard seemed troubled throughout his 80-minute exhibition encounter with Hewitt.
In Nadal's first match since losing to Robin Soderling in the fourth round of the French Open, the Spaniard looked increasingly frustrated as he repeatedly failed to get to balls he would normally reach.
Hewitt challenged Nadal from the start, forcing him to save two break points in the first game before holding serve.
Nadal and Murray practise together
The Australian then managed to break to love for a 3-2 lead after three unforced errors from Nadal, and held his next service game to love behind a barrage of aces.
Nadal frequently muttered to himself in Spanish after missing shots, and often had to rely on his top-spin forehand to bail him out of trouble.
He had his first break point in the first game of the second set, but Hewitt saved it with a service winner.
Nadal set up another break point at 2-2 with a good forehand volley, but Hewitt produced a forehand winner down the line before holding.
Hewitt broke again for a decisive 4-3 lead after Nadal sent a forehand long, and the Australian converted his second match point after Nadal sent a lunging backhand long as well.
Nadal, who beat Roger Federer in a classic final in 2008, had previously stated that he would not defend his Wimbledon crown if he was not 100% fit.
"He is having difficulties bending and it seems his treatments aren't enough," said coach and uncle Toni Nadal on Thursday.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/8085394.stm
World number one Rafael Nadal will not defend his Wimbledon men's singles crown because of a knee injury.
Nadal, struggling with tendinitis, had problems with his movement during an exhibition match in London on Thursday in a 6-4 6-3 loss to Lleyton Hewitt.
And Nadal, 23, went down 4-6 7-6 (10-3) to Stanislas Wawrinka when he returned to the Hurlingham Club on Friday.
He is the first champion not to defend his SW19 crown since Croatia's Goran Ivanisevic skipped the event in 2002.
Nadal, the four-time French Open champion, had been drawn to play Arnaud Clement at Wimbledon on Monday.
Nadal was forced to withdraw from last week's tournament at Queen's Club with knee trouble and underwent intense rehabilitation in Barcelona.
He was diagnosed with tendinitis in both quadriceps tendons as well as a small amount of fluid on the kneecaps.
606: DEBATE
I'm scared that Nadal will be out for the rest of the season, what do you think?
laughingnadalfed
The 23-year-old looked to be on the mend after practising with Andy Murray at the All England Club on Wednesday, but the following day the Spaniard seemed troubled throughout his 80-minute exhibition encounter with Hewitt.
In Nadal's first match since losing to Robin Soderling in the fourth round of the French Open, the Spaniard looked increasingly frustrated as he repeatedly failed to get to balls he would normally reach.
Hewitt challenged Nadal from the start, forcing him to save two break points in the first game before holding serve.
Nadal and Murray practise together
The Australian then managed to break to love for a 3-2 lead after three unforced errors from Nadal, and held his next service game to love behind a barrage of aces.
Nadal frequently muttered to himself in Spanish after missing shots, and often had to rely on his top-spin forehand to bail him out of trouble.
He had his first break point in the first game of the second set, but Hewitt saved it with a service winner.
Nadal set up another break point at 2-2 with a good forehand volley, but Hewitt produced a forehand winner down the line before holding.
Hewitt broke again for a decisive 4-3 lead after Nadal sent a forehand long, and the Australian converted his second match point after Nadal sent a lunging backhand long as well.
Nadal, who beat Roger Federer in a classic final in 2008, had previously stated that he would not defend his Wimbledon crown if he was not 100% fit.
"He is having difficulties bending and it seems his treatments aren't enough," said coach and uncle Toni Nadal on Thursday.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/8085394.stm
