Rafael Nadal withdrew from the London Olympics Thursday citing ongoing knee problems. The 26-year-old, who won gold at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, expressed regret that the honor of carrying Spain’s flag in the opening ceremony of the games “cannot be.”
“I am not in condition to compete in the London Olympics and therefore will not travel as planned with the Spanish delegation to take part in the Games. I have to think about my companions, I can't be selfish and I have to think of what's best for Spanish sport, especially tennis and Spanish players, and give fellow sportsmen with better preparation the chance to compete,” Nadal said in a statement.
"Today is one of the saddest days in my career. Carrying the flag for Spain at the opening ceremony was set to be one of the biggest honors, one of the most special moments for me,” he added. "For this reason I hope you can understand how difficult it has been for me to take this decision."
Radal ranked No. 3 in world after losing to Lukas Rosol in the second round of Wimbledon this year.
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