After Skipping the Prestigious Games, Rafael Nadal Sends His Wishes to Spanish Contingent at Tokyo Olympics 2020

Published 07/24/2021, 5:32 AM EDT

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics kicked off on an extravagant scale last evening. Lead by the flag bearers, proud athletes made their way out of the tunnel, donning the colors of their nation. Representing their country at the Olympic games is one of the most prestigious moments for any entity. Hence, ecstatic players waved out to the cameras, announcing their arrival in style. However, as the delegates marched onto the field, Spanish fans certainly missed their tennis legend, Rafael Nadal.

With exciting new entries and a young generation that has a new profound dominance on the court, enthralling battles are promised. However, fans are also sure to miss some of their vintage favorites who will not be appearing in Tokyo, including Rafael Nadal.

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The former Olympic gold medalist has been on a sabbatical ever since his Roland Garros exit. Regardless, the 20-time Grand Slam champion took to his Instagram, sending best wishes to his fellow Spanish delegates.

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Vamos Espana

Earlier this year, Rafael Nadal opted out of both the 2021 Wimbledon Championship and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Despite missing the tournament, he sent a message to his fellow Olympians representing his country. “Good luck to the entire delegation of Spain,” he said. (Translated via Google Translate)

Undoubtedly, it devastated fans to hear that they will not see the maestro in the proud Spanish colors. The news came a little after his loss against Novak Djokovic in the semi-final of the French Open.

Announcing the unfortunate, Nadal said, “Hi all, I have decided not to participate at this year’s Championships at Wimbledon and the Olympic Games in Tokyo. It’s never an easy decision to take but after listening to my body and discuss it with my team I understand that it is the right decision.”

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Rafael Nadal has a rich history in the Olympics

Nadal has tasted Olympic glory on a number of occasions. He won his first Olympic gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, defeating Chile’s Fernando Gonzalez. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, he partnered with Marc Lopez to win gold once again, but in the men’s doubles event this time around.

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However, all is not lost, as Rafael will soon make his first appearance in Washington, having accepted a wildcard entry into the Citi Open. Certainly, fans will wait for the Spaniard to regain full fitness and make an even stronger comeback.

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Written by:

Melroy Joseph Fernandes is a Tennis author at EssentiallySports. A Mass Media graduate, Melroy has been a content writer for the past 6 years, curating stories for several brands, starting from his own. At the age of 17, Melroy began his writing Journey with Team BIB, an event management company for everything Art and Entertainment.

After Skipping the Prestigious Games, Rafael Nadal Sends His Wishes to Spanish Contingent at Tokyo Olympics 2020

Vamos Espana

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Rafael Nadal has a rich history in the Olympics